If You're Not the One
by AstringentSaccharine
Summary: AU "No Embry, I can't be the one." Ester shook her head frantically stepping away from me. "I can't be your soul mate. This imprint…or whatever the hell you call it is a mistake." Her lips said one thing, but I could see love in her eyes. "Why? Why can't you be the one?" Pause. "Because, I don't want to be my father, I don't want to die of a broken heart." Seth/OC & Leah/OC.
1. Chapter 1

****Beta'd by the awesome, talented, oh-so-very amazing Sparkling-Iris. ****

**Hello again! This an Embry OC Story. **

**What happens when Embry imprints on a girl who believes romance can only lead to heartache and pain? Sometimes even death.**

**AU: This current story is written in the pretense had Edward never returned. Victoria was defeated without creating a newborn army, because in all honesty sometimes, I think it's difficult to believe a bunch of wolves couldn't take down one lone vamp, no matter how damn fast she is…just saying. Thus meaning Jacob and Bella are together. **

**AU: Embry and Sam's father Joshua Uley returned to La Push an extremely wealthy man when Embry was 11 and Sam was 15, however the two grew up always knowing they were brothers and seemingly got along, so when Embry phased, it didn't shock the Elders or the other pack members. We'll dive more into that subject as the story progresses. **

**Warning: This story is rated M for a reason. There's discussions of drug abuse and other mature matters.**

_**All recognizable Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, however the original characters and story are mine. **_

**Pics of characters and places are up on my profile. **

**Current Ages: **

**Sam, Leah, Emily and Rachel are 23. **

**Bella is 21. **

**Embry, Jacob, Quil, Jared, Kim and Paul are 19. **

**Seth and Claire are 17.**

**Brady and Collin are 15.**

**All Twilight characters belong to SM. **

**Chapter One: A New Beginning**

**Ester POV**

Corey Wells once wrote; _"Believe it or not…life is not fair. Occasionally the bad guy wins, people do play favorites, some good people die young, some people will let you down, and not everyone is honest._" Damn. Corey must have lived a life similar to mine. At the age of seventeen, I have seen and experienced more hardships and unfairness than most folks will in a thousand lifetimes. I truly am a survivor, still trying to survive.

It was a little after six o'clock when I arrived at the small shoebox apartment I shared with my mom Diane and younger sister Abigail, who I affectionately called Abby.

Most girls my age would probably be at the mall right now, maybe talking on the phone to their boyfriend, or cramming for some major exam the next day for school.

But I'm not most girls. I got my GED when I was sixteen after my mother relapsed again. Someone had to work full time in order to ensure the bills got paid, and although I had been working part-time since I was fourteen, twenty hours a week just wouldn't cut it anymore-not to mention my grades were really starting to take a major nose dive. Getting my GED was for the best.

My mother had struggled with all sorts of addictions for pretty much her entire life and I had personally seen her high on something more often than I'd seen her sober.

As I got out of my car, a small smile crept across my face when taking one more look at my purchase. A 1999 Toyota Corolla. I recently bought it from one of my co-workers at the distribution center. He sold it to me cheap, since he recently discovered he was going to be a dad and needed something bigger to accommodate his growing family. Dads. My smile slowly faded as I allowed myself to think about the one I lost. I missed him terribly.

My father was a former addict who met my mother during one of her many stints in rehab. He never turned back to street drugs because my mother became his new addiction. They say love is blind, but did it have to turn people into stupid spineless, weaklings as well? It did for my dad. I never understood how he could be so forgiving and understanding of her bullshit and the constant pain she put us through with her many relapses. Even when she cheated on him and got pregnant with Abigail, he didn't leave her! Instead, he took on the responsibility of being a father to my little sister. He signed her birth certificate and gave Abby his last name. He never made Abby feel like she wasn't his. Don't get me wrong, I love my little sister immensely. I just couldn't understand how my dad was able to as well. But he did.

It had been seven years since my father passed away from colon cancer, at least that's what the doctors wanted me to believe he died from; but I knew better. He may have been diagnosed with cancer, but loving Diane too much is what really killed him. From that day forward walking away from my father's burial site I made a vow to myself. Never fall in love. I have my sister. Abigail's love for me is unselfish and unconditional, just as mine is to her. To hell with romance.

I took a deep breath before walking inside, only to see my mom passed out on the sofa with a dirty syringe left out on the table. Her drug of choice tonight was heroin. I was furious as I stared down at her. "Diane!" I yelled her name. She didn't budge. "Diane, wake up!" I kicked the sofa this time.

"What?" She groaned, turning away from me.

"Where the hell did you get the money to buy this poison?!" I demanded. She started laughing quietly. "What's so damn funny?"

"You are." She sniggered, finally turning over to look at me with glazed-over eyes. Diane used to be beautiful, but years of drug abuse had taken her looks away. Her once light auburn flowing hair had lost its luster, and her dark brandy eyes had no life left in them. Her once flawless snowy skin was riddled with lesions from methamphetamine abuse. Abigail was a stunning uncontaminated, carbon copy of my mother. I on the other hand, favored my father. My skin was slightly darker, giving off the appearance of a natural year round tan, courtesy of my father's rich Native American roots. My hair was naturally jet black, but I lightened it with highlights. "Ya know Ester, if you want to hide money, you should do a better a job." She nodded her chin towards the kitchen. Shit! I hid $300 in an old cookie jar.

"How much did you spend?" I was livid.

"All of it." She murmured nonchalantly.

"Damn it, Diane! That was half of the rent money!" I screeched.

"Rent's not due until next week." She shrugged turning back over. "Besides, don't you get paid tomorrow?" She added before passing out again.

"You're fucking unbelievable." I mumbled as I stormed down our short narrow hallway to the bedroom I shared with Abigail. I proceeded to bang on the door; our radio was way too damn loud there was no way she could possibly hear me. Abby always locked the door whenever Diane got high, since she had a tendency to invite her druggy friends over. They were pretty unsavory characters; my little sis didn't trust them and neither did I.

"Go away you crazy bitch! I'm not letting you in!" My sister screamed over the music through the door.

"Abby, it's me!" I yelled.

"Thank god!" She exclaimed. It took her a while to unlock the door; I could hear furniture sliding from the other side before she was able to remove the chain and two extra locks I had installed for our safety. As the door flew open and I saw her face, my anger returned. Abby had a fresh bruise across her cheek.

"That bitch!" I snarled, examining my little sister's face. I then began to look over the rest of her body for any more battle wounds she may have received tonight for going at war with Diane, but she quickly jerked away.

"Please don't start anything with her tonight!" She begged me. "I'm fine." She assured, pulling me inside and relocking the door. "She was trying to come inside our room and I wouldn't let her. I was afraid she would find your money stash and see our packed bags." She whispered.

What Diane didn't know was that tonight would be the last time she'd ever see either one of us again. Since the day I started working when I was just fourteen, I had a plan; save up as much money as possible, buy a car, take Abby, and run away from this hell we called life. "I even found my birth certificate and social security card." I already had mine.

"Were you able to get your school transcripts?" I asked her.

"Sure did." She laughed, waving a large envelope in front of me. "I didn't even have to sneak into the principal's office. His student aid has a major crush on me. Did you get the fake ID?"

"Yup." I smirked. Although I already had a license, it showed my real age. Seventeen. I needed one that showed I was twenty-one. I pulled the fake license out of wallet and showed it to Abby.

"Wow! This thing looks real."

"It should, for what I paid for it."

Sneaking out with our bags was pretty easy, since Diane was still passed out. I pulled away from our apartment complex for the final time. I reached into my glove compartment and found the one sheet of paper that I held near and dear to my heart. The deed to my grandmother Ester's house given to me upon my father's deathbed; the childhood home my father grew up in, given to him after his mother died. It was ours now. Abigail and I were finally moving to La Push. Although we had never been there before any place is better than our current living situation.

**Several Hours Later**

A few hours on the road and Abby was in bad shape. It appeared she may have gotten some sort of stomach bug. I had already made several stops so she could use the restroom. We were starting to run out of daylight and I was in desperate need of sleep. Based upon the MapQuest directions, La Push was less than ten minutes from where we were.

"Pull over Essie, I think I'm going to hurl again!" My sister groaned. I quickly pulled over and helped her out of the car. Just as I pulled hair back into a makeshift ponytail, she began dry heaving. Panic stricken, I place my hand on my little sister's forehead. Shit! She was burning up!

"This isn't good Abby, I think I need to take you to the emergency room." I sighed heavily.

"No!" My sister began shaking her head frantically. "Doctors ask too many questions, you know that!" Abigail and I had, had a few trips to the ER in dealing with Hurricane Diane. We pretty much became experts at lying. We knew that if we ever told the doctors the truth about our home life, we'd be taken away, thrown into the system, and most likely separated forever. We loved one another so fiercely, that we'd much rather live in hell with Diane together, than in heaven apart.

"I have to do something. You're in bad shape." I argued, helping her back into the car. Once I got back in and tried to start the engine, it stalled. "Damn it!" I slammed my hands on the steering wheel, causing Abby to jump. "Sorry." I apologized for startling her, as I made another attempt to start my car again, but this time it wouldn't even make a sound. "Shit. This cannot be happening right now." We were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a bunch of woods, in the middle of the night. Could life get any worse?

I rested my head against the steering wheel. Even though I had my cell phone, who could I call? Definitely not Diane. Just as I thought all hope was lost, a set of headlights pulled up behind us. "Stay in the car." I advised Abby as I got out.

I was relieved to find two middle aged women get out. "Are you having car trouble?" One of them asked, holding a flashlight in her hand. I simply nodded. The woman holding the flashlight had black hair and eyes with a thin face.

"I'll call Embry and see if he or one of the guys can tow it to their garage." The other woman smiled. "I'm Tiffany by the way, and this is Sue." Tiffany looked a little younger than Sue. She was quite attractive for someone her age.

"Is there anyone we can call that can come pick you up?" Sue asked as Tiffany walked back towards their car.

"No, I have no one." I answered honestly. "My sister and I were actually driving to La Push."

"La Push?" The two ladies replied, staring at me.

"I've lived in the reservation my whole entire life, and I've never seen you before." Sue gazed upon me suspiciously. "What is your name?"

"Ester…Ester Moonflower." Sue's eyes widened slightly as did Tiffany's. "I was named after my grandmother, my father was…"

"Timothy." Sue whispered. She knew my dad!

"That's right." I responded with relief. "How did you know them?"

"Ester Moonflower is a distant relative to Billy Black. He is the current chief of our tribe." Just as I was about to open my mouth, my passenger door flung open and Abigail nearly collapsed, I rushed to her side, followed by Sue.

"It hurts so much!" Abby sobbed, gripping her stomach.

"Let me take a look at her." Sue asked me, I immediately felt apprehensive, I didn't know who Sue really was, although she knew my father I didn't know her. I wasn't sure if I should trust her just yet. "I'm the tribal doctor." She revealed. "Ms. Call is my nursing assistant." She motioned for Tiffany to join her.

"I thought tribes had shamans, or medicine men," I grumbled.

"We have one of those too. But knowledge of modern medicine helps too." Tiffany smirked. "Embry and Jacob will come pick up your car."

"Who are they?" I wasn't just about to let a bunch of random men drive my car.

"Embry is Tiffany's son, Jacob is Billy's." Sue answered. "The sooner I can take a look at your sister, the sooner we can figure out what's ailing her." I took a deep breath and reluctantly handed Abby over to Sue. After examining her, she figured out what wrong was. "It appears your sister has food poisoning."

"Food poisoning?!" I exclaimed.

"The Sloppy Joes at school did taste a little off today." Abby grated.

"What happened to your face?" Tiffany asked noticing Diane's handiwork. Shit!

"School fight." Abby lied effortlessly. "You should see the other guy."

"We'll drive you two back to Tiffany's. It's closest." She helped my sister up. "Come on, we're going to get you something for the pain and get you some liquids, you're severely dehydrated." Abby nodded weakly.

"Thank you Sue." She needed to know I was grateful for her assistance, and I felt a little guilty for not trusting her initially. "I don't know how I can possibly repay you." I told her.

"You're with family now Ester, family helps one another." Evidently, Sue never met Diane.

**A/N: So what do you guys think? Next chapter will be Embry's POV. Review, add to your favorites, and alerts. Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone, long time no see. I know it's been a while since I updated this story, but I wanted to get several chapters completed before posting more, so without further delay, here is the next chapter. The updates will be coming in weekly once again. Please check out my links on my profile. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who reviewed this story and added this story to their favorites and alerts. **

**Beta'd by the awesome and talented Sparkling-Iris and oh-so-very amazing Aretee!**

**Chapter Two: The One**

**Embry's POV**

It's funny how things turn out in life. One day I was nobody; the poor little bastard boy whose daddy walked out on him, constantly living in the shadow of his best friend, Jacob Black, who also happened to be the next chief-in-line for our tribe. But when Joshua Uley returned, formerly known as a deadbeat, now a multimillionaire, every single girl from La Push to Port Angeles wanted to sink their claws into me and my brother, Sam.

My sire launched dozens of websites and finally struck gold…platinum, one would say. His golden goose? An American multinational corporation specializing in Internet-related services and products, included search engines, cloud computing, software, and online advertising technologies. Most of its profits were derived from AdWords.

He made millions. Joshua set out on a path of redemption among our tribe. It started with him renovating La Push and creating college funds, to forming a construction company which employed several people from our rez and Forks. He placed Sam in charge.

Construction wasn't really my thing, so _daddy dearest_ gave Jake and me the money to start our own auto mechanic shop. I guess you can I say I had mixed emotions about accepting cash from Josh, so I paid him back within a year of opening the shop. Quil and Paul worked with us as well, while Brady and Collin worked for us part time. Leah handled the books.

Josh earned his place back on the council two years ago; that same evening my mother found out as well. I got so angry that night that I phased in front of her—but that story is for another time.

Although Josh and I made our peace with one another years ago, I still couldn't address him directly as _dad. _My older brother Sam couldn't either. There was still a lot of pain there. You see, when he left his wife and had an affair with my mom—only to take off on her as well—it left a guy like myself a little bitter.

I had a place of my own, but whenever Josh went out of town on business, I'd stay at his mega sized cottage. His house consisted of ten identical bedrooms that came equipped with bathrooms in each one, an entertainment room, a home theatre, and a fully stocked fridge; One hell of a place to throw a party. Let's just say this was the place to be on Saturday nights when the B-Spot was closed and Josh was out of town. Our parties were legendary.

"I'm serious, man!" Seth laughed, leaning against his pool stick as I took my turn.

"No way. No female can be that desperate," I disagreed. "Not even Lauren Mallory."

"Well, then, you explain to us how her car tends to break down every other week," Paul sniggered while he took a swig of his beer.

"And, if that's not the case, then why does she only want you to work on her car?" Jake added.

"The only reason she hits on me, along with every single girl around these parts, is because Joshua Uley and I share the same DNA." I wasn't an idiot. I knew that when women saw me, they thought of dollar signs, and since I hadn't imprinted on any of them, it only cemented my suspicions. "Besides, out of all of us, I'm the only guy who's still single."

"What?!" Brady exclaimed. "I'm still single, and so is Seth," Brady added, nodding towards Seth, who only smirked.

"Yeah, but you aren't legal," Leah noted. "Lauren may be a slut, but she's no pedophile. Not to mention, Collin should consider himself single as well, given the fact that his imprint considers him as jailbait."

Collin imprinted on nineteen year old Bree Biers, formerly known as Bree Tanner. She had lived in Idaho for most of her life. Bree believed that her mother had left her abusive father when she was four. He then packed up and moved to Idaho with her. Because of the abuse, Bree felt isolated from her peers. She was a quiet, withdrawn girl. No one ever noticed the signs of her abusive home life, despite some physical evidence. Finally, Bree could no longer stand his abuse and ran away from home a few weeks before her sixteenth birthday. She had enough money for a bus ride to Seattle, but nothing more than that. She tried unsuccessfully to get a job, and began stealing in order to eat. She slept in parks and alleys - any place where she felt a little bit safe. Her biggest fear was that the police would catch her and send her home to her father.

She'd been on the run for less than three weeks when Riley Biers, a Forks local, found her behind a restaurant. His heart instantly broke for her. He offered her some food and then drove her back to Forks to his parent's house. It was then discovered by Chief Swan, through some investigative work, that Bree's mother had been murdered and buried in their backyard by her own dad before she and him moved to Idaho. After the cops found Bree's mother's bones, they assumed Bree's dad killed her, as well. He was currently serving time for both their murders. Once Bree had been reinstated as alive, Riley's parents legally adopted her. Collin imprinted on Bree about a year ago when she started working for Rachel on the rez. Unfortunately, at the time Collin was only fourteen and Bree was eighteen. Poor kid, couldn't even get busy with his imprint.

Now he would be turning sixteen in six months, and luckily that was the age of consent here in Washington. The kid was literally counting down the days.

"Fuck you, Leah!" Collin snarled.

"No thanks, sweetie. I'm no pedophile, either, not to mention I've seen you naked. And unfortunately, Collin, I gotta tell ya, man. I'm not impressed."

"Gross, Leah," Seth groaned. "You just had to go there." Leah shrugged indifferently, finished her beer, and then stood up.

"I'm heading home," she announced, grabbing her keys. "Hey, Call? Tell _'Daddy Rich Bucks_' I said thanks for the free beer. Later."

"Wait, Lee, we still have pack business to attend to," Jake spoke up.

"Is that an order, oh almighty alpha?" she sneered angrily.

After Jake graduated, Sam rightfully gave up Alpha. For a while, he had taken on the role as beta, but once the construction business began to grow, he passed it on to me. Luckily, no one really complained. Paul, Jared, and Quil knew that being beta required a lot of time, and given the fact that they had their imprints and wanted to be with them, there wasn't much room for argument.

"Leah-" Jake began.

"I can't, Jake." Leah snapped her eyes shut for a moment. "I've been better these past few years; I've done what you guys have asked me. I've been less hostile towards them, shit, I even went to their fucking wedding. But I can't stay, not for this."

"Give her a break, Jake." I always tended to be protective of Leah because she and I were once close friends before all of this bullshit of phasing, protecting our tribe, and imprinting happened. To others, it may have been strange that our mothers allowed Sam and I to spend time with one another, but the two of them bonded over their pain of Joshua's betrayal, since neither one of them knew about each other until after Joshua took off.

Since Sam and I were just as close as any other siblings, I got to know Leah, as well. To me, she was the coolest. I liked the fact that she was tough and funny, but still beautiful. When Sam left Leah for Emily, I was livid, I didn't understand his actions, since Sam was all about her for years. Then one day, he disappeared for two weeks and reappeared as a totally different man, one in love with Leah's cousin. Shit just didn't add up, but after I phased for the first time, I understood.

"Go ahead, Leah," Jake sighed. In less than three seconds, Leah was gone. "I know a few of you have been wondering why Sam has decided to leave the pack." He was doing his very last patrol at the moment. "We've been really quiet about everything, with the exception of me, Embry and Leah…"

"Wait a minute," Collin cut in, "why does Leah get to know what's going on with Sam before the rest of us?"

"We felt that telling Leah first was best. She needed more time to come to terms with the news." Jake always tried to be tactful about things.

"News?" Quil raised one brow.

"Yes. Emily is pregnant, and since we haven't had that much leech activity in the past few months, Embry and I didn't see any reason why Sam should have to continue phasing. How do you guys feel about that?"

"I'm really happy for Sam and Emily, but I feel bad for Leah," Jared huffed.

"Yeah, she's been less of a bitch lately. I just don't want this news to set her back," Paul added. "I know she's not in love with Sam anymore, but this whole _'Emily having a baby'_ thing has got to be tough,"

Brady shook his head.

"Leah's a strong person, but she still has her fragile moments. I know she'll get through this. We just have to give her time and a little space," Seth recommended. "When she's ready to talk about this, we just have to be there for her." We all murmured in agreement.

Afterwards, Jake went over our new patrol schedules. They were pretty much the same. We all just ended up with an extra hour, so it wasn't that big a deal.

Paul, Brady and Collin were the first to leave. Brady and Collin had been living with Rachel and Paul for about a year now. Both of their parents were fed up with their constant sneaking out. I felt bad for them. Collin and his dad used to be pretty close and Brady was one of the biggest momma's boys I'd ever met. Sometimes, I wished our rules were different. If Brady and Collin's parents knew the real reason why the two of them were always gone, they'd be proud of them, not disappointed.

Quil headed out next. He lived on his own. I was pretty sure Emily and Sam wouldn't be putting up much of a fuss if Claire spent her whole entire summer with him, since she was seventeen now. Jared left an hour later to take over Sam's patrol.

Just as we were about to set up for another game of pool, my cell went off, and my mom's ringtone blared through my pocket,

_Mama, Mama you know I love you  
Mama, Mama you're the queen of my heart  
Your love is like tears from the stars  
Mama I just want you to know lovin' you is like food to my soul  
_

"Hey, mom. What's up?" I answered.

_"__Hey, Em. I tried calling Jake a few minutes ago, and Bella answered instead."_

"Yeah, Jake tends to leave it with Bells when we have pack meetings…no disturbances," I explained. "We wrapped things up about an hour ago, though. Is everything alright?"

_"__Yes…no, actually. Mother Moonflower's granddaughters are having car trouble…"_

"Granddaughters?!" I heard Jake exclaim, damn wolf hearing meant phone calls weren't even private.

"Mother Moonflower doesn't have any grandkids." I argued back.

Ester Moonflower was a much honored member among her tribe, a spiritual counselor and a caretaker to all of the grade school children of the tribe. Even Jake, myself, and the rest of our pack had spent many evenings with Mother Moonflower when we were young. She was a kind, but firm woman who was loved by all. She never met a person who disliked her. She had an aura about her. I saw that even as a kid. Mother Moonflower was like a grandmother to me. It was a great sadness to us all when we lost her ten years ago.

_"__She does. Two, actually; they're Tim's daughters."_ Mother Moonflower's estranged son…He took off long ago when his twin sister Florence committed suicide. No one knew why she did it. She never even left a note explaining her actions. _"They just moved here. Something tells me they're in trouble."_

"Em, put your phone on speaker," Jake requested, moving closer. "Just because someone has Ester's name doesn't mean anything…"

"_She looks so much like Florence. Just a few shades lighter_," my mom cut in.

"What about the other one? You said granddaughters, in plural," I had almost forgotten that Seth was here until I heard his voice. Seconds later, we heard my mother's pace quicken.

"_Damn it_," Mother cursed, "_The younger one is pretty sick. Can you come tow the car back to your garage? It's just fifteen minutes out from the reservation. I'll place the keys under the floor mat."_

"Mom…" I objected.

"_Sue and I are taking them to my place. Bye_."

**~XoXoXoXoXoXoX~**

Seth asked if he could tag along with us. He didn't want to sit idly by, and wanted to be useful. Once we got Ester's car to our garage, Jake noticed Ester and her sister still had their luggage inside, and suggested we drop their things off at my mom's place.

Sue called in a prescription for antibiotics, and asked for us to stop by the pharmacy and pick them up before heading over to my mom's. It turned out Ester's little sister, Abigail, had food poisoning. Seth also grabbed a few sports drinks and popsicles as well.

"I'm going to take these meds to mom, and we can take off," Seth hurried into my old room, which had been recently converted into a guest room. I found my mom in the kitchen.

"Hey, sweetie," she kissed my cheek, "I thought I heard you guys come in."

"Hey, Tiff," Jake hugged my mom. "I set Ester and Abigail's bags down in the living room. Is that alright?"

"That's just fine. It took a while to convince Ester and her sister to stay here with me for a while. Mother Moonflower's place is a little ways out and it needs some work done to become habitable again." Mom was right; it had been a decade since anyone had lived there. The grass needed cutting, and all of the furniture had either been placed in storage, handed down to those less fortunate, or thrown away.

"Are you sure about this?" Jake asked. "The Moonflowers are my kin. I have no problem having them stay with me or dad."

"Florence and Tim were the first people I met when I came looking for Embry's dad all those years ago. Their mother took me in when my parents disowned me for being seventeen and pregnant." I stood there, shocked by my mother's confession. "Florence introduced me to Sue since I needed a midwife, and because of them, I found my passion for healing and helping others. If it wasn't for the initial kindness of the Moonflowers, I wouldn't be where I am today. The least I can do is take care of her grandchildren—the way she took care of me."

I thought I knew everything about my mom, but I guess I was wrong. I wasn't mad, just curious as to why she never told me this before. Just as I was about to ask my mom that same question, Sue emerged with a slightly stunned expression on her face. She said nothing as she took a seat at my mom's table next to Jake.

"Is Abigail okay?" Jake wanted to know. Sue nodded yes, but still didn't speak. "Well, I'm going to go introduce myself; see if they need anything." As Jake stood up, Sue grabbed him by the wrist.

"You can't go in there," she finally spoke, "Seth is…feeling territorial of Abigail right now. You can meet Ester when she comes out, but you'll have to wait until Abigail is feeling a little better before you meet her."

"What?" Jake laughed. "Why?" He slowly sat down. "Seth doesn't even know her. She's more my family than anyone else's."

"Jake, do you remember when Bella caught pneumonia last winter?"

"Of course, how could I forget? I stopped patrolling for a whole week. I wasn't really thinking straight, and I wouldn't let the pack go near her. She was mine to care for. She's my soul-mate…" As the last words flew from Jake's mouth, realization hit him, and me as well.

Seth Clearwater imprinted on Abigail Moonflower. "How long does it take to recover from food poisoning?"

"A day or two with antibiotics and rest. Maybe sooner," my mom replied. "I'll go get Ester."

"I did not see this coming," Jake smirked, shaking his head. We then heard the door open and shut.

"She was just about to fall asleep until he showed up," a sultry feminine voice complained. "Maybe I should stay to make sure he doesn't try anything stupid."

"You have nothing to worry about; Seth is harmless. Trust me, Abby is in good hands," my mother assured her.

"He'd better keep his hands to his damn self," she grunted. I couldn't help but admire her protectiveness. My mom entered first.

"Everyone, this is Ester Florence Moonflower."

Slowly, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my whole entire life appeared in the doorway. We locked eyes and gravity shifted. I was frozen, lost in those beautiful smoky dark orbs that pierced through my soul and rendered me speechless. I had imprinted.

"Ester, this is Jacob Black, a distant relative of yours." She finally broke eye contact and I was able to breathe again.

"Hey there, Ester, nice to meet you. Our grandfathers were second cousins." He stood up and shook her hand.

"And this fine young man is my son, Embry." Ester's eyes were back at me. I opened my mouth and no words came out. This imprint shit was crazy! I'd never been tongue tied. "Honey, are you alright?" Jake turned around, his eyes widening.

"Seriously?!" Jake whispered, only loud enough for me to hear. Two imprints in a matter of minutes. Yeah, this shit just got real.

**AU Note: Riley and Bree are human in this story, since a newborn army was never created. My heart always had a little soft spot for Bree and Riley. I always believed they would have been good people had it not been for Victoria sinking her teeth into them. I went ahead added pics of them in their 'human form'...**

**Embry mom's ringtone: A Song for Mama by Boyz II Men**

**For those of you who would like to know how Josh became successful, here's a brief outtake (it was totally inspired by the creators of Google):**

_When Josh took off, he fled to college where he met a fellow grad student by the name of David Featherwood who was majoring in computer science. The two computer geeks began collaborating on writing a program for a search engine dubbed SleekTouch._

_After receiving rave reviews on SleekTouch, Josh and David began working on another search engine called __**chase dot com**__. Operating out of their dorm rooms, the pair built a server network using cheap, used, and borrowed PCs. They maxed their credit cards buying terabytes of disks at discount prices. They tried to license their search engine technology, however, after failing to find anyone that wanted their product at an early stage of development, Josh and Dave decided to keep Chase, seek more financing, improve the product, and take it to the public themselves._

_The strategy worked and after more development Chase finally became a hot commodity. Co-founder of Solar Ray Microsystems, Drew Berman said after a quick demo of Chase,"Instead of us discussing all the details, why don't I just write you a check?"_

**Thanks for reading. Please review, add to your alerts, and favorite.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Beta'd by the awesome and talented Sparkling-Iris and oh-so-very amazing Aretee!**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter &amp; Two:** KendieV; tiffanythibedeau; MarinaNamaste; Aretee; OPOSOJOJ; brankel1; .1996; IAmPhoenix; Guest; honey cocaine follower; and sugarishfreak **Thank you so very much. My bad for not showing you guys any love last chapter.**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts: **Artee**, **KendieV; MarinaNamaste; MidnightWolf191; Yuuki-Hime 2097; fari30, loved by all21; mortega22; otvet1269; sugarishfreak; tiffanythibedeau; **and** IAmPhoenix.

**Chapter Three: Unexpected**

**Ester POV**

I couldn't help but feel a little confused by my surroundings as Sue drove us to Tiffany's house. My father told me La Push wasn't the most impoverished reservation, but it wasn't the wealthiest either. I begged to differ. We passed a diner, a bowling alley, a large grocery store, and what appeared to be a bar and grill called _The B-Spot_. Going further in, there were several newly remodeled homes and others that were in the midst of renovations. This was not the La Push my father described.

"Not what you imagined?" Tiffany murmured beside me. I shook my head. "Joshua Uley has a lot to do with La Push looking this way."

"Who's he?" I asked.

"My son's father," She replied softly.

"I thought you said your last name was Call." I could've sworn.

"It is. Embry's father and I were never married." She shrugged indifferently.

"I'm sorry." That must have been difficult being a single parent. I know it had been for Diane, however, something told me already that Tiffany was nothing like my mother though. The dead giveaway? She was way too nurturing when it came to Abby and I. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy towards Embry Call. He had something I never had with Diane. A reliable mother, who loved her child more than herself.

"Don't be." Ms. Call smiled. "I'm not. It took me a while to come to terms with things, but I made my peace with Embry's father a long time ago. This," she pointed out the window to the newly remodeled homes, "is a part of Joshua Uley's path to redemption among his people."

"You know, they say you can never go home again." Sue mused from the front seat as she continued driving. "Do you know what I say to those people?" She adjusted her rear view mirror to see my face. I shook my head and shrugged. "I would simply ask them, have they ever tried?"

I leaned back in my seat and soaked in Sue's words. Suddenly, I started thinking of my father. I once asked him why he and his mom fought and never made up. He sadly responded, "I never tried."

_My father never tried. _

What terrible fight did the two of them have that night, that would force my father to walk away from his home never to return again? I had to know-I _needed_ to know. The rest of the drive to Ms. Call's house was done in an awkward silence.

From the moment I stepped onto the hardwood floors of her home, I felt an instant sense of wholeness and security. As much as I liked the feeling, it also scared the shit out of me. I'd never felt this way wherever I lived, so why here? And why now?

"Come on, honey, let's get you situated into the guest room." Tiffany murmured in my sister's ear as she guided her down the hallway. "It's a good thing I had my son's old room converted into a guest room," she added, flicking on the light.

Ms. Call's slightly small, but very tidy guest room was furnished with twin beds, a small round table with two chairs, and a 32-inch flat screen television. For Abby and I, it was by far the nicest room we had slept in, in a long time.

"I'm not sure how much sleep you'll be getting tonight in here with your sister, Ester. She most likely will be getting up all hours of the night. My office has a futon in it. You're more than welcome to sleep in there tonight," she explained, helping my sister into bed. "The both of you can stay here as long as you like. Mother Moonflower's house has been vacant for so long, and is in the process of being renovated."

"We couldn't impose…"

"I insist," Ms. Call interrupted.

"I don't know." I hated owing people. It always made me feel like I was obligated to do stuff for them. I only wanted to be obligated to. my sister. She only expected for me to love, care, and protect her. The last time someone_ 'helped'_ me, I paid a heavy price, and I couldn't bear being placed in a situation like that again. Although I felt Ms. Call may have been different, it still didn't sit well with me owing anyone.

"Listen, Ester," Ms. Call took a long deep breath, "your grandmother took me in when my unborn child and I had no place to go." My eyes grew wide with shock. My grandmother helped Ms. Call? "And when I decided to go to nursing school, she looked after my son. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I'd ever get the opportunity to repay Ester for her many acts of kindness. This is my way of doing so." I felt a slight surge of sadness for the grandmother I would never get a chance to know. She sounded like a remarkable woman. I felt a little angry with my father, who had never given Abby or me a chance to know our grandmother.

"Will you tell us about her? Our grandmother, Ms. Call?"

"I'll tell you and Abby everything, Ester." She smiled at me. "And please, call me Tiffany, or Tiff."

"Okay-Tiff." I stammered awkwardly.

"Great!" Tiffany clapped her hands together. "Are you hungry?" I nodded. "I'll make you something. Embry and Jake should be here soon; they're always hungry." After Tiffany and Sue exited the room, I grabbed one of the chairs from the table and sat beside the bed Abby was lying on.

"Essie," she whimpered, reaching for me.

"I'm right here, Abby." I gripped her hand.

"Are we going to be okay?"

"I hope so, but we gotta keep our guard up. No matter how kind people might be, they tend to have ulterior motives." I spoke softly so others couldn't hear us, using my free hand to stroke her hair, as Abby nodded knowingly to my last remark.

"I just called my son, Seth. He's going to pick up your prescriptions; some antibiotics and something for your nausea and vomiting. It may make you a little drowsy," Sue explained to Abby, walking back in. "Apparently in our rush to get here, we forgot to grab your bags. The guys will be dropping that off as well. How are you feeling, Abigail?"

"Like shit," my little sister grumbled.

"Abby! Language!" I chastised. My sister and I both had mouths like sailors, but I tried not to curse in front of adults out of respect.

"Its fine," Sue smirked, "with a daughter like mine, anyone else's profane mouths are tame, and besides, feeling _'like shit'_ suffices when it comes to food poisoning."

"How old are your kids, Mrs. Clearwater?" Abby managed to ask. There was no doubt in my mind that she was trying to distract herself from the pain by asking questions.

"My son, Seth, is seventeen and my daughter, Leah, is twenty-three," she answered as I heard the front door to Tiffany's house open. "And it looks like you'll get a chance to meet one of them tonight."

"Hey, mom," the bedroom door slowly swung open, "I got Abigail's prescriptions, including some Gatorade." In walked a good looking russet guy whose tall muscular build probably had all the rez girls fawning over him. Seth was quite handsome, actually. But, unlike most teenage girls, I wasn't the fawning type. I rose from my seat.

"Seth, come meet Ester and Abigail." Sue urged her son.

"Hey, I'm Seth, and you must be Ester." He extended his long arm across the bed and I took it. Damn, he was feverishly warm.

"You're hot!" I blurted out, as my face blushed out of embarrassment with my choice of words. That shit came out totally wrong!

"Thanks," Seth smiled graciously.

"No, what I meant was…"

"Who's hot?" Abby turned over just as Seth glanced down at her. The look in my sister's eyes was an expression I thought I'd never see again, but it was a gaze I was painfully familiar with. It was the look my father used to give my mother, however far more intense!

"Hi." Seth exhaled. My eyes quickly shifted to appraise the expression of the seventeen year old boy who had enchanted my sister. His face mirrored Abby's, and just when I thought his smile couldn't get any wider, it did.

"Hi, back." Abby tried to smirk but grimaced in pain instead. I finally looked over at Seth's mom. She looked as though she just witnessed a two headed horse walk by. She quickly regained her composure and cleared her throat.

"I'll be right back." Sue announced, walking out. Where the hell was she going? She needed to take her son with her. I did not like this one bit. This…Seth didn't know us from a can a paint. How dare he look at my sister that way? As if he were helplessly devoted to Abby.

"Can I get you anything?" Seth asked her. "Are you comfortable?" he rambled on. "That's a dumb question," he scoffed at himself. "I mean, you have food poisoning for goodness' sake!"

"Actually," Abby slowly sat up, "I'm starting to feel better already." Oh, hell no! Was she flirting with him? What type of alternate universe did I step into?!

A slight tapping on the door interrupted my mental thoughts. "Is everything alright?" Tiffany asked, walking in and shutting the door behind her.

"Everything's fine." Abby and Seth both replied. What the hell?! Now they're speaking in unison? This was bad. I had never felt so confused and at a loss of words in all my life.

As soon as this Seth kid took off, Abby and I were having a serious talk. Yes, Abigail is beautiful and charming; any guy could see that. But, there were so many other things about her and me that would send a man running away. Our lives were complicated. We had seen and dealt with so much. Once Seth found out what he truly was up against, once he knew all of her skeletons, he would destroy whatever was left of my sister. It was my job to protect her from ending up like our dad…broken-hearted and dead.

"Well, in that case, Ester, why don't I introduce you to Jacob and Embry?"

"I think I should stay." I told Tiffany firmly, as I continued glaring at Seth. He, of course, didn't even notice. He was too busy gazing at my sister as if he were a blind man seeing the sun for the very first time.

"Go on, Essie. I'm fine," my sister urged. Before I could even reply, Tiffany took me by the hand and led me out of the room. Is she actually trying to get rid of me to be alone with him? This shit was just getting more insane by the second. Abby never so much as talked about boys, let alone crushed on them!

"She was just about to fall asleep until he showed up." I spat. "Maybe I should stay to make sure he doesn't try anything stupid." I placed my hand on the doorknob to open the door once more, but Tiffany gently pulled my hand away.

"You have nothing to worry about. Seth is harmless. Trust me, Abby is in good hands." She smiled at me.

"He better keep his hands to his damn self," I snorted. I knew Tiffany heard my last remark, but chose not to reply. I followed her down the hallway.

"Everyone, this is Ester Florence Moonflower." My eyes scanned the room.

First, I saw a young man sitting at the table with Sue. His skin was also a beautiful, silky russet color; like my father's. His eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. Just like Seth, he was extremely handsome. He had raven-black hair, and twinkling, dusky brown eyes. He and Seth could easily pass as brothers. What the hell were they feeding these guys? Even though he was seated, I could tell he was pretty damn tall. Taller than Seth.

I then glanced over at the other new face in the room. Oh. My. Goodness.

In all my years, I had never seen a man this attractive before. My stomach was doing flip flops, and my heart was racing out of my chest. I couldn't help but stare at his tall slender frame. His whole entire body was built; with taut, rounded muscles. His skin was a beautiful cooper, just a few shades darker than mine. But what caught me off-guard were his almond-shaped brown eyes. They were chestnut, actually; a warm medium-brown with hints of reddish tones, and his chin had a small dimple in it. Abby wasn't in trouble…I was.

"Ester, this is Jacob Black, a distant relative of yours." I reluctantly averted my eyes from the gorgeous man and his piercing stare.

"Hey there, Ester, nice to meet you. Our grandfathers were second cousins." He stood up and shook my hand.

"And this fine, young man is my son, Embry." I whipped my head back in the direction of the man who caught my eye. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Was he okay? He looked visibly flustered. Surely this couldn't be because of me, could it? "Honey, are you alright?" Tiffany asked her son just as Jacob turned around to look at his friend. I thought I heard him say something to Embry, but I wasn't too sure if I was just imagining things. Finally, Embry slowly walked towards me. My heart began to race as he lifted his hand towards mine.

"It's nice to meet you, Ester." Even his voice was amazing. Smooth, but strong, not the deepest, but just right. As our hands met, I felt an electric charge shoot through me and I immediately let go. I had never been so intrigued and frightened by my feelings at the exact same time. "Mom, can I talk to you real quick?" He asked, never breaking eye contact with me.

"Sure, sweetheart. Sue? Do you mind finishing dinner?"

"Of course." Sue rose from the table and made her way towards Tiffany's kitchen. My eyes couldn't resist following Embry and his mother as they walked away. What in the hell just happened?

**Embry's POV**

I quickly hustled my mom into her bedroom and shut the door behind us.

"What the heck has gotten into you, Embry?" My mom paced. "Honestly, I think you may have scared that poor girl half to death, with the way you were staring at her…"

"It happened, mom." I cut her off.

"What happened?!" She demanded. I gave her a significant look. I watched my mom's eyes widened the size of saucers. "Oh, shit!"

"Not so loud," I hushed. My mom slowly sank down onto her bed and dropped her head. She was uncharacteristically silent for a moment and then I heard her sniffle. "Mom?" She lifted her head. Tears were streaming down her face, but I knew they were happy tears because she was beaming.

"Your future wife is standing in my living room!" My mom shot up like a rocket, squealing as if she had just met Beyoncé or somebody else famous. "She's staying in my house!" She gestured towards herself, she was over the moon, but her smile slowly faded as she sat back down.

"What is it, mom?" I asked with worry at her sudden change of expression.

"There's so much we don't know about her," she sighed heavily. "There's so much pain in her eyes. She's so untrusting. She reminds me of myself when I showed up here from Makah, pregnant with you many years ago."

I trembled slightly with anger at my mom's words. Joshua Uley had truly done a number on her. What type of guy takes off on his wife and child only to get involved with a naïve sixteen year old girl?

Joshua Uley was not some old pervert by any means. He himself was only nineteen when he met my mother, but he was already a married man with a three year old; my brother, Sam. See, Joshua and Allison got together pretty young, and when a very pregnant Allison showed up with her parents at Josh's parent's house, it was agreed upon that the two would marry as soon as he turned eighteen.

My dad may not have had a lot of common sense, but he was extremely intelligent, and although he once loved Allison, he had grown bitter towards her because he had to give up his full paid ride to Harvard, and began working immediately to provide for his wife and child. He just couldn't deal with it, so he took off and ran into the arms of my mother. They say lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice, but it did for Joshua Uley. This time, when Joshua Uley ran off, it was some three thousand miles away, never to be heard from again until he showed up many years later. I know it takes two. Allison and my mom played a part in their fates, no one told them to have unprotected sex, but at least they stayed. They didn't abandon Sam and me; they remained. Josh ran away.

"You know, mom, when you say things like that, it makes me hate him all over again." I spat bitterly.

"You shouldn't, Embry. I don't know what else he has to do to prove that he's sorry." My mom rose back up again. "I was able to forgive him," she murmured. Of course she did; she still loved him. I didn't even understand why. "Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. It doesn't work that way and it never will." My mom always had a way of softening my heart and cooling my anger towards Josh with just a few simple words.

"So what do I do, mom? About Ester?" How can I love a girl who trusts no one? My mom walked over to me. She pulled my hands into hers.

"I was able to trust again because I met some wonderful people who proved to me that loyalty is very real, and love-when not selfish-can fix so many things. Let's get through dinner first, and then go from there." I nodded slowly. "Congratulations." My mother hugged me. "You found her Embry, finally."

"No mom, she found me." And she really had.

**Arthur's Note: Thanks for reading everyone. Please review and add to your alerts/favorites. Once again pics of characters and places are up on my profile. Thanks again!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Beta'd by the awesome and talented Sparkling-Iris and oh-so-very amazing Aretee!**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Three:** tiffanythibedeau; MarinaNamaste; brankel1; reader5sam; KendieV and Beauty Eclipsed, **thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the read.**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts: **reader5sam

**Chapter Four: Harder Than I Thought**

**Ester's POV**

After Sue finished making dinner, she decided to take off, saying something about needing to be in early at the rez clinic. Jake piled up a heaping plate of food and took it to go. Apparently his girlfriend Bella-I think that's what he called her-had just made it home from his sister Rachel's place and he didn't like the idea of her being alone.

In all honesty, I didn't mind Sue and Jake's company. I was a little disappointed they took off. I only wanted two people to leave; Seth Clearwater and Embry Call. Unfortunately, they both had other plans. Seth asked if he could crash on the sofa in case Tiffany needed any assistance in looking after Abigail. Um…Hello? Who the hell was I?! Tiff had me if she needed any help with _my_ sister, thank you very much!

Tiff volunteered to stay in the guest room with Abby. I thought Embry would end up taking his mom's room, but insisted on me sleeping in there while he slept in her office, instead. My stomach started doing flip flops knowing he was going to be just a few feet away from me. Damn him, for making me feel like some irrational teenage girl caught in some obsessed crush.

When it was finally time to eat, Embry took his seat across from me. This meant that every time I looked up from my plate, I would see his gorgeous face. Damn him once again for being so attractive! But in all seriousness, this intense attraction I felt towards him seemed deeper than some infatuation. That ridiculous corny pick-up line _'Have we met before?'_ came to mind. Strange thing was, that's exactly how I felt about Embry and I didn't like it, not one bit. I spent a great deal of my life trying to avoid these emotions.

When I went to retrieve Seth from Tiffany's guest room, I had to damn near drag his ass outta the room. I didn't even understand what the big deal was. Abby had been asleep for nearly an hour and he was still in there, staring at my little sister with such longing. It sort of creeped me out, but a part of me felt a little bad for Seth. This evening, Seth Clearwater had been introduced to the sweet side of Abby; he had no idea there was so much more to her than meets the eye. The other part of me felt protective of Abby and the impending disaster that would occur once all of her demons-and mine-came to surface.

Seth took a seat next to Embry while Tiffany sat next to me. We immediately dived into the conversation of getting my grandmother's house renovated.

"I'll give Sam a call in the morning and see if we can speed up the process." Embry took a bite of his food.

"Who's Sam?"

"Embry's older brother. He owns Uley Construction," Seth answered. I gave Tiffany a baffled looked. She had two sons?

"Sam is Allison's son," she elaborated to me. The way Embry shifted uncomfortably in his chair when mentioning his father's name told me there was more to that story. Family drama. I was all too familiar with that, and for some twisted reason the speculation of him having a little family dysfunction made me feel a little kindred to him in a way. His life wasn't perfect, neither was mine.

"Abby's pretty awesome." Seth interjected with a smile. No doubt in my mind he was trying to change the subject. But Abby? Really? Who the hell did he think he was referring to my baby sis by her nickname?

"How would you know?" I retorted with a smirk. "You've known her for what? Like, five minutes? And that whole entire time she's been puking her guts out. You have no clue who she is."

"I just…" Seth stumbled. "She seems like a sweet person."

"She is," I confirmed, until you piss her off. "But _I know_ that because _I know_ her." I dropped my fork on my plate and continued glaring at Seth as his face turned gloomy. "Look here, Clearwater, you seem like a really nice guy and all, but I've met too many wolves in sheep's clothing…" Embry choked on his water, but I ignored him and kept talking. "My sister is a straight A student with an IQ over 140." I leaned against my chair and folded my arms across my chest. "She is going to be something great and doesn't need any _distractions_." Like romance and love.

"Ahem," Tiffany cleared her throat, "well, that's good to hear your sister is doing so well in school, just like our Seth here. He, too, is a straight-A-student, volunteers as a tutor, and although he has never had his IQ tested, he's an amazing problem solver."

"Whatever," I scoffed as I started eating again. "I'm still watching you," I told him.

"I wouldn't expect anything less." Seth replied defensively. "I have a sister too you know, and although she's older than me, I'd drag anyone through the mud over her." He was protective of his sister also. Well, at least we had one thing in common. "And I have," he added. Oh really, huh?

"Why did you say that earlier?" I looked up at Embry. "A sheep in wolf's clothing?"

"It's someone who hides malicious intent under the guise of kindliness," I responded, shrugging.

"Do you have a problem with wolves or something? Couldn't you have used another idiom?" Embry questioned.

"Embry, chill." Seth whispered.

"I'm just curious as to what Ester meant. Relax, Seth. I mean, wolves aren't going around killing people, and contrary to popular belief, they don't pose a huge threat to livestock…"

"Why don't you relax?" I challenged him. "It's just a figure of speech." This man was so infuriating, but for some reason, I couldn't wipe away the smile he made appear across my face as he defied me. No one ever did that. I always gave off the _'if you fuck with me, you're going down'_ vibe. This was actually refreshing.

"You never answered my question." He smiled back at me. What an ass, he could tell I was entertained by his batting me.

"In all honesty, I think wolves are quite beautiful in a dangerous, primal sort of way," I told him.

"That's good to know." Did he just wink at me? Enough, Ester! Don't indulge. Toughen up.

"Back to this whole renovation, how long do you think it will take?" The sooner I got away from Embry, the better. Living with his mother would only give him the opportunity to weasel his way into my heart. I mean, he already made me feel emotions I long repressed throughout my life, and now he was making me smile. No, I couldn't. I couldn't fall for him. He'd hurt me. I'd hurt him. I watched Embry's smile slowly fade away as he took a deep breath.

"I'm no expert, but I do know home renovations take planning and patience." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'd say two to three months." Three months! Damn it. I couldn't do three months in this house with him constantly being around. I was so fucked. I just needed to find something to consume my time.

"Tiffany, you wouldn't happen to know of any places around the reservation that are hiring?" I could start working; get as many hours as possible. That would be a perfect distraction. "Providing for Abby can be pretty expensive."

"The B-Spot." Tiffany replied quickly. "Rachel, Jake's sister, owns and runs the place. Do you have any waitress experience?"

"I do." Thank goodness.

"You'll love working there. Great tips. A couple of Embry's friends' girlfriends work there. Since its summer, you could really put in a lot of hours before starting school again."

"I'm done with school," I remarked stabbing my food.

"Oh. Did you graduate early?" Tiffany asked me. "Your father left La Push over eighteen years ago, the oldest you could possibly be is seventeen." She pointed out. Why didn't I think this shit through? Of course they would know my real age! "Speaking of being underage, where's your mother?" Her voice was laced with concern and curiosity.

"I have my GED and my mom…I don't have one of those anymore." I pushed my plate away. "It's just me and Abby." I told them.

"I'm so sorry." I was shocked to hear Embry's voice sound so sincere. The urge to touch him became too great. Exit, Ester, quickly!

"It's fine." I assured him, standing up. "I'm really tired, I'm going to bed. All that driving really took a lot out of me."

"Of course, get some sleep. I'll be leaving in the morning around 9 for work. I'm sure Embry and Seth will be more than happy to keep you company while I'm gone."

"Great." I muttered sarcastically, walking away. Just exactly what I needed; more time with Embry Call.

**The Next Morning**

I woke to the sound of my sister's animated voice and masculine laughter. No doubt in my mind it was none other than Seth Clearwater. I climbed out of the bed and quickly brushed my teeth before making my way into Tiffany's guest room. Abby was sitting up and looked much better, to my relief. She was holding her thick green composition book as Seth continued laughing.

"Essie, you're awake!" My sister exclaimed as I made my way over towards her and leaned in for a hug.

"You look much better, kid." I told her.

"I feel better." Abby grinned. "Seth, left for a bit and came back with some of Sue's homemade soup _and then_ he put away all of our belongings," she added sounding impressed by his actions. "I was just sitting here reading him some of my stories."

"Your sister is something else. Her short stories are really funny," he commented. He makes your sister happy, be nice Ester, I told myself.

"Sometimes, I don't even know where she comes up with all of it." I mustered up the best smile I could for Seth. "Thanks for putting our things away. You didn't have to."

"It was no biggie." He shrugged indifferently. "You were really tired last night, and I was feeling restless. Besides, Abby has been making me laugh since I woke up. She's so talented." He beamed at my sister.

"Essie's very talented too. She writes amazing songs and poetry," she told Seth. "Essie also has a great voice." I blushed a bit at my little sister's compliments.

"Really?!" Seth leaned back in the chair he was sitting in. "So, I guess it must run in the family." I was just about to comment, until I noticed two picture frames displayed on the table. One of our father, and another picture that I thought had been destroyed seven years ago. I walked over and lifted the picture to really get a good look at it.

"Ricky," I murmured, shakily tracing his face. His high school graduation photo.

"I found it while I was packing last night." Abby sighed sentimentally. "He's just as handsome as I remembered." He was. He had a James Dean sort of look about himself, but he wasn't a bad boy, contrary to what one might think by looking at him. I was surprised my mother didn't tear the photo up and toss it in the trash. Ricky was our older brother. Diane gave birth to him as a teen and gave him up for adoption. When he turned eighteen, he tracked her down. We only met him once, but we loved him instantly. The next day, Diane packed us up and took off. She said Ricky reminded her of the past she was trying so desperately to forget. I placed the picture back down on the table, took a deep breath, and tried to shake sad thoughts out my head.

"So what's the verdict? Did Tiffany let you know when you'll be able to get out of this room?" I asked changing the subject.

"She recommended I take it easy one more day and then I should be able to start moving about again." She smiled brightly.

"That sucks, sis, I was really hoping you and I could take a look around La Push today." So I could pull you away from under Seth for a little while. Who the hell was I kidding? No doubt in my mind he'd tag along as well.

"I'm fine, sis. Seth's offered to keep me company all day. He was supposed to hang out with his cousin, Brady, and his friend, Collin, but he cancelled his plans just for me." I bet he did.

"Okay," I huffed. "You didn't take your meds yesterday. Make sure you do tonight."

"Meds?" Seth repeated, confused. I could see the panic in my sister's eyes as she gripped her composition book, nearly ripping it apart. Shit! I gotta fix this.

"Vitamins," I lied quickly. "She has a slight deficiency. It's not that serious." It's very serious. I _wish_ Abby's pills were _just_ vitamins. "Is Embry still here?" I changed the subject. "I was hoping he could drive me to the garage to take a look at our car, see what's wrong with it."

"Kitchen, he's always in the kitchen," Seth smirked.

"Thanks." I gave my sister a quick kiss on the forehead before heading into Tiffany's living room.

**Embry's POV**

I got her to smile. I got those beautiful lips of Ester's to curl up slightly, and although it didn't last very long, I felt a little victorious. I was downright aggravated with my mom for asking Ester about her past. It was obvious to all of us that Ester and her sister Abigail had a hard-knock life. Her father's dead and her mother was gone as well. How long had these two been alone? Ester may have come off as cold to others, but the way she spoke about her sister told me she had a soft side. Could I ever be a part of that? Or had she been forever changed by her past to the point where she could no longer trust anyone? She was my imprint. The Great Spirit wouldn't allow me to imprint on her if she was incapable of loving me back, right? All my thoughts came to a screeching halt when I smelled Ester enter the living room. She smelled so damn good, like sweet alyssum. _Sweet alyssum?!_ Where the hell did that come from? I'm turning into a damn girl.

"Morning." She huffed. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, and as she stretched, her tight black muscle shirt slid up a bit, displaying the lower part of her stomach. Damn, her skin looked so soft. To be that shirt…and her gray sweats, although a little baggy, showed evidence of her nicely shaped ass when she entered the kitchen and reached for a coffee mug in the cabinet.

Damn! There goes her shirt rising again. She shuffled past me. Her skin grazed mine, and I tried to remain as still as possible, but she was so close; I couldn't stop myself from inhaling deeply to get a better whiff of her sweet fragrance. Shit, I'm being a fucking pansy right now. I watched her pour herself a cup of coffee.

"Well," I grinned, "Good morning to you, too."

"I don't know how good it is," she grunted, rolling her eyes. "Abby is still sick, my car is broke down, and I feel like I've been replaced by a tall russet seventeen year old man-child who won't stop making goo-goo eyes at my baby sister." I couldn't help but laugh. "Have you met Abigail yet?"

"Nope," I replied; popping the 'p'. Seth would try to tear me apart if I even thought about crossing that threshold while his mate was still sick. "I figured I'd meet her once she got better." Because it's my only choice. "Besides, it's a little crowded in there if you ask me."

"Yeah," Ester mocked. I watched her facial expression change from playful to all business. "So, are you going into work today? I was hoping I could get a ride to your shop."

"I'm not working today, but I would be more than happy to take you there. Just think of me as your personal chauffeur for the day." Or any other day...for the rest of our lives sounds just fine.

"Great." She cut her eyes away again, but I could see her fighting back the grin that danced across her lips. Her sexy, enticing lips.

"Stop acting like you don't want to hang out with me; you know you do." I licked my lips and moved closer towards her. I could hear her heart starting to hammer frantically in her chest, Ester took in a deep breath as I continued leaning towards her, but instead of placing her lips on mine, she moved towards my ear.

"If you ever try to kiss me again without my permission again, I'll rip your lips off and personally hand deliver them to your mother." She pulled back and took another sip of her coffee. Shit, she couldn't knock a wolf for trying. Still, I was unfazed. I didn't mind the chase at all. As a matter of fact, I was downright excited at the thought.

I tried not to laugh. "So all I have to do is ask then?" I raised one brow.

"I can't believe that's all you heard." She shook her head and placed her mug on the counter. "I'm going to shower and get dressed," I started to open my mouth, but she cut me off. "And no, you do not have my fucking permission to help bathe or dress me." She started walking away, but turned around for just one second, displaying the sexiest grin I had ever seen. Oh man, this was going to be hard…literally.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Please don't forget to review, it makes super happy; a sneak peak of Chapter 5 will be sitting in your inbox, if you do. :D Thanks once again. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Beta'd by the awesome and talented Sparkling-Iris and oh-so-very amazing Aretee!**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Four:** sugarishfreak; brankel1; reader5sam; KendieV and Beauty Eclipsed; Guest; and MidnightWolf191 **thanks so much and I hope you enjoyed your sneak peak of Chapter Five :D**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts: **shamonticupcake; CrackHeadBlonde; shallmullen; **and** mmsmith1945

**Chapter Five: Girls like Her**

**Embry POV**

Small talk. I'm not a big fan of it. I never really cared to try. I had been so used to hanging out with my boys for so long, random conversations flowed easily between us. Most girls I went out with either wanted sex or Josh's money so there wasn't much need for it. I had to admit; I was solely to blame for that. I sort of steered clear of the good girls. I never wanted to hurt the innocent ones. Never wanted to end up falling for one of them and imprinting on someone else.

I'd been out on dates and hung out with girls, but they never really wanted to talk. Then, after seeing the amount of damage imprinting had done to Leah, Sam, and Emily, the un-imprinted pack members made an agreement that we'd never get seriously involved with anyone. Unfortunately, our _man-whoring _reputations rubbed some people the wrong way; the older generations viewed us as bad boys and thought we were lost causes. If they only knew we were just trying to make the best out of our surreal situation.

Which led me to where I was today: in my truck, with my imprint, and not knowing what the hell to say to her.

There had to be something I could think of to talk about without making a total ass out of myself. I could ask her what type of movies she liked. Yeah Call, that's a real original question…not! Maybe what was the last book she read? Was she even big on reading? Come on man, think!

Then I thought back to the conversation I overheard Abigail, Ester, and Seth having earlier. I also heard the stories Abigail read to Seth, and they were pretty damn funny. Ester wrote also.

"So, how long have you been writing songs and poetry?" I noticed Ester shift a little in her seat and raise one brow at me.

"Anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?" she mumbled, looking away and then out the window. Her annoyed tone didn't get to me, luckily I didn't get discouraged easily.

"I'm sorry." I apologized. "The door was cracked open a little, I couldn't help but overhear." Damn wolf hearing. I'd have heard them even if the door was shut completely. I stole a peek at Ester, her face seemed a little conflicted. Was she trying to decide if she wanted to answer me or not? After an awkward silence, she finally did.

"Twelve," she sighed, "I was twelve when I wrote my first poem." I couldn't help but wonder what it was about; I wanted to read everything she ever wrote.

"That's pretty young," I commented. Ester shrugged indifferently, stealing another peek, I watched her beautiful face soften before my very eyes. That small change in her behavior made the pull in chest stronger than ever. It took every amount of strength in me not to reach out and touch her.

"How old were you when you started working on cars?" she asked me. Finally! I let out a sigh of relief, we're getting somewhere.

"About eleven or twelve." I replied, as nonchalantly as possible, but I was dancing on the inside. She actually wanted to know something about me.

"What got you started?" Looking out the corner of my eye, I could see Ester looking me over carefully. I guess the best way to explain this is to start from the beginning.

"Josh has a passion for restoring classic cars in his spare time and he had this 1969 Dodge Charger…"

"The Dukes of Hazard car?!" Ester exclaimed excitedly. I couldn't help but laugh. She actually knew what car I was talking about, I was totally impressed.

"Yeah, that's right. Aren't you a little young to be watching that show?" I chuckled.

"First off, you're not that much older than me," she chided playfully. "Second of all, I saw the movie when I was, like, five, I think. Besides, I sort of had a thing for Sean Scott, back then. Funny guys are very sexy." Ester's lips curled slightly. So she has a thing for funny guys huh? I'll have to crank out my Kevin Hart DVD's. "I don't think Jessica Simpson's acting is the best, but I thought the movie wasn't too bad."

"Yeah, JS's acting wasn't the greatest," I agreed, "but she sure did look damn good in those daisy dukes." I bet Ester would look real sexy in some daisy dukes…

"Anyway," Ester rolled her eyes with a grin. "So your dad had the Dodge Charger." She gestured with her hand for me to continue.

"Yeah, well he figured it would be a good way to get to know Sam and me, while trying to bond with us at the same time. Turns out I really liked it, and before we knew it, Jake grew interested. The four of us would spend hours working with Josh on his Dodge. But, Sam isn't really into fixing cars. Construction is more his thing," I finished.

"So, did it work?" Ester asked me.

"Did what work?" I replied a little confused by what she was asking me.

"Did you get to know your dad? Did the three of you _bond_?" Sam, Josh, and I got along most times, but we really didn't have what would be considered a _'normal'_ father/son relationship. We got along for the most part, but we weren't kickin' it _'Leave It to Beaver'_ style. He was gone for eleven years, and then he just waltzed back in, expecting all to be forgiven by throwing his money around, trying to make everything alright. Where the hell was he and all his damn riches when my mom was working doubles, ensuring I had everything I ever wanted and needed? Forget the money-where was he when I needed a father? He left his wife. His left my mom. He left Sam and me.

I was still mad at him and not just for leaving. There was another reason why I was pissed at Joshua Uley, and only a small number of people knew why.

I pulled into the parking lot of the mechanic shop. I thought for a few moments on how to properly respond to her question without giving up too much information about my past with Josh.

"My relationship with my dad is complicated, Ester." I finally revealed to her. "He hasn't always been around."

"I hear ya." Ester sighed heavily. "I can't help but wonder what's worse, not having a parent in your life at all, or having one there constantly making your life a leaving hell," she spat angrily. With that, Ester got out of my truck and slammed my door behind her. Shit, thank goodness, for my reinforced windows! I slowly climbed out of my truck and made my way around to my passenger's side. Ester was standing outside looking down at her shoes, and popping her knuckles.

"Are you okay?" I couldn't stop myself from asking, she was hurting. The need to make my imprint feel better was too great. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed ahold of one of her hands and squeezed it gently. Ester relaxed instantly.

"I'm fine." She answered, sounding calmer as she stared down at my hand interlocked with hers. "You keep trying to find reasons to touch me don't you, Call?" Ester raised one brow and smirked.

"Can you blame me?" I flirted shamelessly.

"Can I have my hand back Embry?" Her tone was filled with sass and humor. I reluctantly let go.

Entering through the garage, we saw Quil was already finishing up on Ester's car. We made our way over to him. "Hey man, so what's the deal?" I gestured towards Ester's car.

"Damaged fuel pump," he replied.

"How does that happen?" Ester cut in. Quil's eyes flickered at me and then back at Ester. A sly smile flashed across his face. No doubt in my mind the entire pack already knew about Seth and me imprinting on Mother Moonflower's granddaughters.

"You must be Ester." He quickly wiped his hands on a towel and extended one towards her. "Since Call has forgotten his manners, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Quil Ateara."

"It's alright. Embry forgets a lot of things in my presence," she teased.

"Oh, really?!" Quil laughed.

"Anyway-" I griped.

"Well, like I said, there's no pressure for the fuel and that makes it so the car won't start. I replaced the pump along with the fuel filter-just in case."

"How much will that cost?" she asked, a little alarmed.

"You're kidding, right?" I stared incredulously at her. Did she actually think we would make her pay for the repairs on her car?

"It's on the house, Ester." Quil cut in.

"No way." Ester shook her head stubbornly. "I'm not comfortable with you doing this for free. I don't like owing people."

"You don't owe us anything, Ester. We never charge family." I told her, placing my hand on her shoulder.

"I'm not family," she retorted, shrugging me off a little. I don't know what hurt more, Ester pulling away or her not believing she was family.

"You're Jake's family," I recovered quickly the imprint kicking in, "he's part owner here. There's no way he'd charge his cousin."

Ester didn't say anything; she merely nodded in understanding, she pivoted her weight from one foot to the other before locking eyes with me again. Quil cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I'm going to run this work order over to Leah, do a quick vacuum of the interior, and you'll be good to go, Ester." No doubt in my mind Quil was desperately trying to find a way to get the hell away from this awkwardly tense situation.

"I'll take the work order over to Lee." I took the paper from him and motioned for Ester to come with me.

"Thanks, Quil." Ester muttered trying to come off as sincere as she possibly could, but it still came out guarded.

"No problem, Ester," he mumbled back before giving me an apologetic glance. He knew I had my work cut for me in regards to Ester.

**~XoXoXoXoX~**

"Leah?" Ester walked beside me, as we made our way down the narrow hall. Pictures of classic cars were displayed on the walls, along with other car paraphilia "That's Sue's daughter, right?"

"Ah-huh. She works in the back office. Lee handles the books, work orders, and our employee schedules." I revealed, walking over towards Leah's workstation. "She used to work the front desk, but Bells does now. She and a customer had a _slight misunderstanding_."

"Misunderstanding?" she repeated with one brow raised.

"I kneed a pervy client in the balls for trying to grab my ass," Leah retorted as she stood up and walked from around her desk. "So, you're Ester Moonflower." She tilted her head to the side and folded her arms across her chest. "Seth said your sister looks nothing like you." Instead of cowering like most girls did in Leah's presence, Ester moved closer and mirrored Leah's pose.

"Abby takes after our mom and I'm surprised you've spoken to your little bro at all," she snorted menacingly, "considering the fact that he's practically moved into Tiffany's house," she added.

"Actually, he came by the house to shower and change before heading back over there." Leah took Ester's work order from me. "He also told me you threatened him. Just so know the same rules apply to your little sis." She squinted her eyes at Ester.

"If you touch my sister, I will fuck you up!" Ester snarled, getting directly in Leah's face. Our pack sister didn't budge. She never startled easily. Just as I was about to cut in and pull Ester away, Leah did something that totally shocked me-she smiled. Leah's face cracked into a rare form that showed every one of her straight, bright teeth offset by her beautiful russett skin.

"You know, I think might grow to like, instead of just tolerating, your ass," she moved back over to her desk. "I hate spineless bitches; you're definitely not one. If your sister acts anything like you, I may even grow to love her."

"She's worse." Ester remarked placing her hand on her hip.

"Even better," Leah smirked. "Can't wait to meet her."

Crisis averted.

**Ester POV **

Quil seemed decent enough, and since he fixed my car, that made him alright in my book.

I think I would definitely end up liking Leah Clearwater. She was a tough chick, even if she was a bit of a bitch. The world needed more women like her and less damsels in distress.

"I'm really sorry about Leah," Embry apologized for the fifth time. "When it comes to Seth and every else she cares about, she can be downright lethal." He guided me to the break room.

"There is no reason to be sorry. If that's how she is with the people she loves, I'm glad. Especially if she thinks she could possibly grow to love my sister." That's all I really cared about.

"Trust me, Leah is one of the most loyal people I have ever known," he assured me, just as we made it inside.

I first noticed we weren't alone. Two younger, but enormous teenaged boys were occupying the room. One was making himself something in the kitchen, while the other lay on the sofa watching TV.

"Is this what I pay you guys to do?" Embry shook his head, laughing.

"We're on break." They both replied idly, in unison.

The guy on the sofa was a little lanky. He had floppy, jet black hair with cooper-toned skin, and he was adorably cute. The other was cleaner cut, and had a bit more muscle on him. Just like the rest of the guys I met, he was handsome as well. Did their clique consist of the beautiful people of La Push? Leah was gorgeous, Jake was attractive, Quil was good looking, and Embry was a walking auburn Adonis!

"Guys, this is Ester." With those four simple words, the sofa-ridden one shot up like a rocket and climbed over the sofa towards us. Mr. Clean-cut turned off the stove and followed suit. "Ester, this is Brady Fuller, Leah and Seth's cousin." He nodded towards the floppy haired one. "And this is Collin Littlsea, Jake's cousin." We shook hands. "They work here full-time during the summer and just part-time during the school year."

"You're Seth's friends," I remembered my sister mentioning their names, "So you guys are starting your junior year with Seth?"

"We wish," Brady chuckled, "we're actually starting our freshmen year."

"Did you guys fail a few times?" my eyes widened with surprise. Granted they looked a bit younger than Emrby, but damn! "Ya'll are huge! There is no way you two are only fifteen." I argued back, shocked.

"Believe it." Collin smirked. "And don't worry, the Council is already arranging for Abigail to have at least one of us in each one her of classes."

"Minus girl's gym." Brady grumbled. "I really wanted that class." I couldn't understand why the council would go through so much for Abigail. I would have to ask Embry about that later. "So what are you guys getting into today?"

"Well, I was hoping I could stop by Rachel's and see about getting a job." I told them. "Embry here agreed to be my personal chauffeur."

"I bet he did." Collin replied suggestively jabbing Embry in the shoulder. I didn't miss Embry's threatening look.

"Although my car is already fixed, I really don't know my way around the reservation." In all honesty, I really just wanted to spend more time with Embry.

"You'll know this place like the back of your hand." I heard a girl's voice reply. I slowly turned around. There, standing in the doorway of the break room was a gorgeous white woman with skin paler than Abigail's and long straight, dark brown hair with a widow's peak. Her large chocolate brown eyes were widely spaced-giving her a unique look-and her nose was thin making her cheekbones prominent. Her lips were a bit too full for her slim jawline. Her eyebrows were darker than her hair and straighter than they were arched. Still, like everyone else I met, she was beautiful, but not in the new Hollywood sort of way. She reminded me of classic beauties from the silver screen, such as Ava Gardner or Audrey Hepburn.

"Hey, Bells, we were just about to come see you." Embry greeted her with a hug. Suddenly, I felt envious of how close they were to one another. Was I feeling jealous? Oh shit, I was. This guy was turning me into an emotional jealous teenager! Fuck my life! "Ester, this is Bella, Jake's fiancée. She works the front desk." This was Bella? Relief soaked in.

"Hey, Bella." I wasn't sure if I was sincerely pleased to meet the chick or just genuinely happy that she was someone else's woman and not Embry's. Either way, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. "Where's Jake?"

"He drove to Port Angeles with Paul to pick up a part for a Mustang he's working on," Bella explained. "You and Abigail should come hang out with us at the beach tomorrow morning. Seth told Jake that your sister should be feeling better by then. We're all dying to meet her." As long as my sister didn't have to rock a bathing suit, we should be alright. Abby was a little shy about her body. "You'll get a chance to meet everyone else."

"I'll check with Abby and see what she says. Thanks for the invite," I said graciously, before cutting my eyes at Embry. Why didn't he ask me? Did he have plans to ask some skank to keep him company instead? Damn it Ester, there goes that green eyed monster again.

"No problem, I'm sure Embry would have asked you, but I heard he gets a little tongue tied around you," Bella smirked, followed by Brady and Collin joining in. The jealousy bug vanished instantly.

"Fuck you guys," he grunted. "Come on, Ester, Rachel's expecting us."

"Later, Romeo." Brady yelled as we headed out. Embry promptly shot him the middle finger.

**~XoXoXoXoXoX~**

The B-Spot was so many things built into one. The first floor was a nightclub and restaurant while the upper right level was a pool hall, and the left upper level was an arcade. It truly did cater to the needs of all young teens and adults on the rez. Upon arriving I met a couple of Rachel's employees. Bree Biers first, followed by Kim Whitecloud, and then Claire Young.

Kim was dating a guy named Jared who worked with Sam, I had yet to meet him. Claire's boyfriend happened to be Quil.

Bree told me she was pretty close to Collin, but didn't really specify in what way. She said they're relationship was _complicated_ and I decided not to pry. I'm all about staying in my own lane. Whatever was going on between Collin and Bree was their business, not mine, no matter how awkward I thought it was, since Bree was nineteen.

Embry and his friends seemed closer than any group of people I observed growing up around. Their relationships were tight and it felt as though they all meshed together seamlessly. Throughout my life I never really wanted to belong or mesh with anyone, but for some strange reason, a part of me wanted to blend with them.

But if I let them in…if I let Embry in, would they accept me, flaws and all?

What about Diane? What if she found Abby and me? She could ruin everything. Everything was happening so fast. What was it with this place?

I was stunned when Rachel scooped me into a massive hug when we first met. The interview process was brief. She asked me if I had experience waitressing and working a register. I told her yes and just like that, I was hired. I would be starting Monday night. Rachel said it would still be fast paced since everyone loved the food-and there was really no where else to go. Riley Biers, Bree's older brother, was Rachel's head chef, the two of them both united together and made one hell of a menu, from pigs in a blanket, to hot wings and their signature Southwest flank steak with salsa. Because of that, the place was always packed with patrons. It was only between Thursday, Friday and Saturday that the B-Spot actually served as a nightclub. However, the arcade and pool hall remained open seven days a week.

**~XoXoXoXoXoX~**

"What kind of music do you write?" Embry asked me on the way back to his mom's house.

"Country and little bit of R&amp;B…pretty much whatever I feel here." I pointed to my heart.

"And what do you feel there?" he asked me. I feel a lot of things, but I was hesitant to tell him, still my mouth couldn't stop from moving. After spending one day with Embry, I found I had grown closer to him, I couldn't stop myself from opening up.

"Love for my sister. Hatred towards Diane. Longing for my father." I also missed Ricky immensely. Why on earth was I admitting this to him? He was peeling me like a banana and I wasn't sure if I liked it. Maybe I did. Fuck! I am so damn confused.

"Who's Diane?"

"My mom," I told him. "I loved my mom." I admitted out loud staring down at my lap. "It's Diane I hated." I shut my eyes for a moment, preventing tears from falling. Diane always made me feel a roller coaster of emotions, and it was difficult to talk about her, finally after reigning in my feelings, I continued on. "I wanted to love my mom and that was only way I knew how. The negative, bad, and ugly was Diane. The positive, good, and beautiful was my mom. Unfortunately Abby and I knew Diane way better than my mom." I exhaled heatedly as we pulled into Embry's mom's driveway.

Neither one of us got out, we sat in his truck for a long eerie silence.

"Are your songs and poetry just for you to enjoy and hear?" Embry whispered cautiously.

"Of course not." I shakily replied, mentally pushing away the fear I felt towards this beautiful man who I found my attraction towards increasing by the second.

"Can I hear one?" He wanted to hear my thoughts, and I felt a glimmer of hope sprang within. Maybe I could do this. Maybe I could open up to him.

"Sure." I finally replied.

**Embry POV **

"Isn't your writing book in my mom's guest room?" I asked her confused when she didn't head that way.

"Yeah, it is, but," she answered, yanking a scrap sheet of paper from my mom's nightstand, "I wrote this last night. I will be right back." I tried to wait patiently as Ester returned with her old beat up, guitar. She told me her dad taught her how to play, it seemed Tim had a special bond with his daughters, by the little bit she told me on the way to Rach's club. She took a deep breath before she finally started playing it. "This is called _Girl's Like Me_."

_You don't need a girl like me  
I got bruises you can't see  
And when the lights go out, I won't be around  
You don't need a girl like me_

Her voice was a strong beautiful mezzo soprano. And as amazing as her voice was, it was riddled with a sadness that made my heart ache.

_You can't have a heart like mine,  
But you can hold it for awhile  
When the lights go out, I won't be around  
You can't have a heart like mine_

_There's a rule that goes unwritten  
And I break it from time to time  
If you're fool enough to listen,  
Then I'm fool enough to lie_

Knowing she wrote this song last night only meant one thing. It was meant for me. This was her warning me. Ester was letting me know that if I was dumb enough to go down this path with her, it wouldn't end well.

_That's the kind of girl I am;  
I take off before I land  
And even though you think you can,  
You can't change the way I am_

_'Cause the rule remains unwritten  
I still break it from time to time  
If you're fool enough to listen,  
Then I'm fool enough to lie_

_You can't change the way I am  
You don't need a girl like me…_

I was screwed. Could imprinting really fix this train wreck?

**Author's Note: Girls Like Me was written by Heather Marie Little and Miranda Lambert. Performed by Miranda Lambert. **

**Thanks for reading, please don't forget to review, add to your favorites and alerts, thanks again for reading. **

**Once again, if you review, a nice little sneak peak of Chapter 6 will be sitting in your inbox.**

** I am also going out of town to attend a wedding this weekend, so I won't be able to upload Chapter 6 on 07/11 like usual, Chapter 6 won't be posted until 7/18 (a sneak peak would be the way to go :D).**


	6. Chapter 6

**Good news, I was able to update as scheduled!**

**Beta'd by the awesome and talented Sparkling-Iris and oh-so-very amazing Aretee!**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Five:** sugarishfreak; brankel1; KendieV, Aretee; and MarinaNamaste **thanks so much and I hope you enjoyed your sneak peak of Chapter Six :D**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts: **katscratch2.0; tianemariah1; Shamille101; ang-vamp; Azura Soul Reaver; **and** tianemariah1

**Chapter Six: Scars**

**Ester POV**

"You have a beautiful voice." Embry complimented me with a sad smile.

"Thanks." I replied softly as we fell into an awkward silence.

Embry had to understand who I truly was and what I was about. If he was looking to have a little fun, I was totally fine with that, but love was out of the question. "Embry, I'm nothing like the girls your friends date; beautiful and perfect and shit." I placed my guitar down on the bed as Embry slowly rose from the floor and joined me.

"First off, Ester, you're beautiful; contrary to what you may believe, what you've heard, or what you've been told. Second of all; perfection is overrated and our girls are far from it." He told me.

"I am well aware of what I look like." I grumbled. I never had a problem attracting the opposite sex, and it seemed the worse I treated them, the more they desired me. "What I meant is how they're beautiful on the inside," Damn it! Why was is it so much easier for me to write my feelings down than express them out loud? I decided to give it a try. "Ya know, being all nice and welcoming, and shit like that." I trailed off. When Rachel hugged me, her warmth felt genuine. When Bella invited me to the beach, I felt a sense of belonging. Meeting Claire, Kim, and Bree, I instantly felt like these girls cared for me. Just like always, that foreign desire to be cared for felt frightening. "I've done things in my past…things that I'm not proud of. My family consists of my little sister, my dead father, and a drug addicted mother."

"Your mom isn't dead?!" He stared at me, dumbfounded.

"Sometimes I wish she was," I admitted dejectedly. "My life wouldn't be so fucked up and neither would I be. I wouldn't have done half the things I had to do in order to survive. I'm not the type of girl you take home to mama."

"Ester, look around," Embry scoffed, waving his hand wildly, "you live with _my_ mom."

"You know what I mean, Embry," I glared at him. "I never even graduated from high school."

"And neither did Jay-Z, and Johnny Depp," He shrugged indifferently. "They seem to be doing just fine and so are you."

"How am I doing fine?" I stood up. "I ran away from a shitty home and kidnapped my baby sister in the process!" I ran my hands through my hair and took a deep breath. "But do you know; what's the most fucked thing about this whole jacked up situation?" I asked him rhetorically, "Diane won't even call the cops to report us missing, because nine times out of ten, she's most likely turning tricks since she doesn't have my money to buy her drugs or her booze or pay her rent!"

"Essie!" My very pissed off little sister was standing in the doorway. Seth's hands were resting on her shoulders protectively.

"What are you doing up?" I was totally stunned to see her up and walking about. "You should be resting." I rushed over and tried to urge her back to bed, but she wouldn't budge.

"I'm feeling much better now, and besides, even if I was still sick, how the hell can anyone possibly rest with all your damn screaming?" Abby exhaled angrily at me, but her face softened as she saw Embry. "Oh hi! I'm Abby," she stepped forward, extending her hand towards him. "You must be Embry, I've heard so many great things about you." Before Embry took Abby's hand into his, he briefly stared at Seth as if getting approval. What was that about?

"It's nice to finally meet you, Abby." He took a deep breath as he finished shaking my sister's hand. "We didn't mean to disturb you with all of that yelling."

"Its fine," Abby told him. "I'm used to people arguing around me, but usually it's Essie who's trying to defuse tense situations, not provoking them." My sister glared at me. I immediately felt terrible. My mom ran through a lot boyfriends throughout the years after my dad died and they weren't very nice to her. Hearing loud arguments was the norm in our house, but it was I who always tried to keep Abby safe and calm. Here I was acting like Diane.

"Well," Embry uncomfortably cleared his throat, "since you're awake and feeling better, you should come to the beach with us tomorrow morning. It will give you a chance to meet everyone." I watched my sister's face grew ashen and her eyes flickered at me.

"Excuse us." I stole a glance at Embry and saw a look of concern and confusion dance across his face, before making our hasty exit. We quickly made our way into Tiffany's guest room and my sister fell apart.

"I can't, Essie!" Abigail started, shaking her head frantically. "I can't wear a bathing suit. They'll see them!" I knew I only had a few seconds to resolve this situation before Abby went into a full blown panic attack.

"It'll be okay; I noticed Tiffany has this long sleeve cover up in her closet. No one will be looking that hard. They'll be easy to hide." I assured her.

"Easy to hide?" Abigail started breathing heavily as she rolled up her sleeves to expose her burns. "Do these look fucking easy to hide to you?" Tears started streaming down her face as she collapsed onto one of the beds. "Why do I do this to myself?" It broke my heart to hear the guilt and remorse in her voice.

"Because you're in emotional pain, Abby." I stroked her hair. "But you're doing so well. When's the last time you self-harmed?"

Abby finally sat up to lay her head on my shoulder. "Three weeks, two days, six hours, and four minutes," she breathed, "but that's only because you found my stash of lighters."

"I don't believe that." I shook my head at her. "I know how resourceful you are. If you wanted to, you could get more. You're using restraint, sis. Now, have you taken your lithium today?" She nodded once taking a few deep labored breaths and finally calmed down.

Seconds later, we heard the front door to Tiffany's house open and slam shut, causing the two of us to jump.

"Hey, ladies?" Embry lightly knocked on the door, but didn't attempt to walk in. "Seth had to step out for a second, and I have to leave for a bit. Leah should be here in a few minutes. Could you let her in?"

"Sure," we both answered.

"Do you think Seth heard us?" Abigail's lips trembled.

"Of course not. We were whispering, there's no way either one of them heard us."

**Embry POV**

I could tell from the moment Seth heard Abigail admit she had been intentionally hurting herself that he wouldn't last long before phasing. He gave me a pleading look as he started to tremble from head to toe. I'm sure that as well as hearing about the fucked up life they had, Ester didn't help his self-control either. I sure as hell knew it didn't help this already messed up situation they called life.

I knew about self-harm from some book I read a long time ago called Impulse. It was about three very different people who ended up in a psychiatric hospital. One of the girls from the novel was beautiful and smart like Abby, but her painful secrets kept her answering the call by cutting. The instrument as an outlet for pain was different for Abby. But it was still the same.

"Go for a run," I ordered Seth, and within seconds, he was gone and I was dialing Leah's number.

"_What the hell do you want, Call_?" she snarled. "_I had an eight hour shift at the shop followed by two hours of fucking patrol right after that. Unless someone is bleeding from vital fucking organs…_"

"Seth almost phased in my mom's house after hearing some shit about Abby and Ester's past."

"_Shit_," Leah hissed.

"I have to go check on him. Paul's on patrol and the only thing he may do is just make him angrier."

"_No shit,"_ she agreed.

"I need a favor."

"_I'll be there in ten minutes_." She hung up. I knew I could count on Leah, she may be a bitch, but she was a bitch you wanted on your side. She'd do anything for those she loved. I just so happened to be one of those lucky bastards. Leah loved me, even if she didn't want to admit it.

After telling Ester and Abby I had to step out and Leah would be keeping them company, I made a beeline for the forest. Shockingly, Seth was just pacing back and forth, clenching his shirt in his hand.

"You didn't phase." I stared at him.

"I was about to," he admitted, "but then I remembered Paul was on patrol. I knew if I talked to him, I would be hell-bent on tracking down that bitch they refer to as Diane!" Bitch? Wow. Seth never used profanity, especially in reference to women. Then again, I wouldn't really call Diane a woman-or even a mother. "What the heck is Lithium anyway?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't." he remarked.

"It's a mood stabilizer," I revealed. "Lithium is used to treat…_mental_…issues."

"That bitch made Abby crazy?" Seth balled up his fist and punched a tree.

"And she must have made Ester afraid to love." I was starting to understand now. Those two girls had been through so much and we were barely even scratching the surface. "There's no telling what other damage Diane has caused Abby and Ester. How much did your girl tell you about her past?"

"She's not my girl, at least not yet." Seth clenched and released the fist he had punched the tree with a few times. It was already almost healed. "She did tell me about her older brother."

"Brother? Where the hell is he?" I demanded. "And why hasn't he been around?"

"Chill man, it's not like that, it's…complicated," Seth huffed.

"Well, un-complicate it, then."

"Diane had Ricky when she was super young, and she gave him up for adoption. Abby and Ester only met him once."

"Why only once?" I folded my arms across my chest.

"Diane didn't want him in their life; she said he brought up too many bad memories. They couldn't understand why she would be that way. You should have seen how Abby went on and on about this long lost brother of theirs. Not only did Ricky want a relationship with Abby and Ester, he even wanted one with his egg donor. Abby said he was extremely smart; valedictorian of his graduating class, and he also got a full paid academic scholarship to Stanford University." Impressive.

"So, how old is Ricky now?"

"Twenty-Five, I think." Seth replied.

"Did you get a last name?" I asked him.

"Yes, Desmond. Why?" My pack brother raised one brow at me.

"Because we're going to find him."

Two hours later, we stared at the monitors in Josh's extensive computer lab. "This is hopeless." Seth groaned as he slammed his laptop shut. "There is no Ricky Desmond listed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Classmates. No Richard Desmond. No Rick Desmond. Nothing!"

"I think we're going to have to dig deeper. Perhaps hire a private investigator," I sighed.

"Embry, I know you make a decent amount of money, and my tutoring half of La Push pays alright, but private investigators can be expensive. Especially if you want a good one. Even if we put our money together, we're still going to need a little help." A little help? I glared at Seth. I knew exactly what _help_ he was asking me to recruit.

"You know I hate asking Joshua for money," I remarked, rubbing the back of my neck.

"I know you do, man, but that's what parents are for. Help. You know he has the money and the resources; hell, he might even already have a few private investigators in mind." Joshua Uley had a lot of connections, not to mention that many people owed him favors. I took a deep breath and dialed his number. It didn't take long for me to fill Josh in on my and Seth's imprinting on the Moonflower sisters, their dark past, and now the desperate need to locate their eldest brother who had been given up by their drug addicted mother many years ago.

"_Tim was once a close friend of mine_," Josh sighed into the phone. "_I will do everything I can to help his daughters. I have a guy in mind who has helped me in the past. He goes by the name Quest. He was with the Miami PD for fifteen years before opening his private practice seven years ago. As soon as we get off the phone, I'll call him up_."

"Thanks Josh, I owe you one," I sighed. As much as I hated to admit it, my dad came through for me tonight, like he always had since he came back in my life.

"_No son, you owe me nothing. I owe you and your brother everything, and then some_." He cleared his throat. "_I should be back by Sunday. Quest should have all the answers you need. Please bring Ester by, I would really like to meet her_." He wanted to meet my mate, this should be interesting. "_Goodnight, Em_."

"Night, Josh."

**Ester POV**

"You should give Embry a chance, Essie," my sister murmured. "According to Seth, he's a pretty stand up guy."

"Of course his boy is going to tell you that." I cut my eyes at her. "It's not like he'd tell you Embry was a total dick."

"Honestly Essie, I think if Embry wasn't any good, Seth wouldn't gas him up, no matter how close the two of them are with one another."

"Whatever," I scoffed.

"Can't you tell he cares about you? He looks at you as if you're the Holy Grail or something." She pinched my side playfully.

"You know I can't do that, Abby," I shook my head. "I can't fall for him. I just can't." My heart was far too fragile. My dad was gone, Ricky was nowhere to be found, and my mom…don't even get me started on that subject. I just couldn't risk it. Just as my sister was about to make a rebuttal, there was a loud banging coming from Tiffany's front door.

"Open up, damn it!" Leah demanded. "Or I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" I could've sworn I heard her sniggering.

"Did she just quote The Three Little Pigs?" Abby stared at me. "Who does she think she is, the big bad wolf or something?"

"Nah, she's just...Leah. Come on." I got up from the bed and Abby followed.

"Hurry up!" Leah banged once again.

"Hold on!" I smirked, finally making it to the door and flinging it open.

"'Bout damn time; took you long enough, Moonflower." Leah waltzed in like she owned the place.

"So sorry, Clearwater. I didn't mean to keep you waiting so long." I pouted sarcastically.

"I'll let it slide this one time." Seth's sister sassed back, all the while still slightly grinning as her eyes focused in on Abby standing next to me. "Well, shit girl," she cursed. Her eyes flickered to me and then back at Abby. "Seth was right, y'all look nothing alike."

"You and Seth aren't exactly twins, either," Abby retorted, folding her arms across her chest.

"Thank the great spirits for that," Leah grunted, walking over to the living room and flopping down on the sofa. "I mean, come on, could you picture my little brother in a dress?" She cringed inwardly.

"I don't think I can picture _you_ in a dress, Leah," I laughed, sitting down beside her. This was the second time seeing Leah today, and although she was in another outfit and her clothes weren't screaming femininity, she definitely had the sexy tomboy look down.

"Fair enough," Leah shrugged indifferently, yanking off her black hoodie as Abby joined us. I instantly fell in love with the all black t-shirt she had on underneath. In large white capital letters it read: _DO NOT READ THE NEXT SENTENCE_, followed by much smaller font that continued on: _You little rebel. I like you_. I couldn't help but smile. "So Abby, Seth tells me you write funny ass stories."

"That's right," My sister confirmed confidently, sizing Leah up in the process.

"Can I hear one?" Leah grinned mischievously. Abby glanced and raised one brow at me, I gave my sis a reassuring nod and humorous grin. That was all she needed from me to let her know Leah was cool.

"I'll be right back." Abby shot up from the couch and returned seconds later with her composition book. She flicked through a few pages. "I'm not sure which one…"

"Read her _Three Wishes_," I quickly told her. Something within myself told me she'd appreciate that story.

"That's a good one," my sis laughed, flicking through a couple of more pages until she found it. "Okay, here goes,"

_"A despondent woman was walking along the beach when she saw a bottle on the sand. She picked it up and pulled out the cork. Whoosh! A big puff of smoke appeared.  
"'You have released me from my prison,' the genie told her, 'To show my thanks, I will grant you three wishes. But be cautious, for with each one of your wishes, your mate will receive double of whatever you request.'  
"'Why?' the woman asked. 'That bum left me for another woman.'  
"'That is how it is written,' replied the genie.  
"The woman shrugged and then asked for a million dollars. There was a flash of light, and a million dollars appeared at her feet. At the same instant, in a far-off place, her wayward husband looked down to see twice that amount at his feet.  
"'…and your second wish?'  
"'Genie, I want the world's most expensive diamond necklace.' Another flash of light, and the woman was holding the precious treasure. And, in that distant place, her husband was looking for a gem broker to buy his latest bonanza.  
"'Genie, is it really true that my husband has two million dollars and more jewels than I do, and that he gets double of whatever I wish for?'  
"The genie said it was indeed true.  
"'Okay, genie, I'm ready for my last wish,' the woman said. 'Scare me half to death.'"_

It only took Leah two seconds to get the ending. She keeled over laughing.

"Fucking love it!" Just then, Leah's phone chimed. She read if briefly before putting it back down. "Looks like Call and my brother are staying the night at Josh's mansion. You two are stuck with me. We can drive to the beach together in the morning. Until then," she reached into her bag and pulled out two DVD's that all women love: Magic Mike and The Lucky One.

"Tatum or Efron?" she waved them both in front of us. We all stared at one another for three seconds before replying all at once.

"Tatum first! Efron second."

"Oh yes, I think I'm gonna have a lot of fun with you bitches!" Leah cackled. Fun we had, indeed.

**Author's Note: Three Wishes can be found on sufersam dot com. If you review Chapter Six; a nice little sneak peak of Chapter Seven will be sitting in your inbox. Please add this story to your alerts and favorites, once again thanks for reading. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Beta'd by the awesome and talented Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very amazing Aretee!**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Three: ****JayUh; Please-and-Thankyou's; sugarishfreak;** MarinaNamaste; brankel1; KendieV; **and** Beauty Eclipsed, **thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the read.**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts: JayUh ****and**** Please-and-Thankyou's **

**Chapter Seven: Making Friends &amp; Letting Love In**

**Ester POV**

Leah and Abby were a trip together. Thirty minutes into watching Magic Mike, they were absorbed in the most entertaining debate over who was better looking; Mike or Adam.

"Are you high?" Leah exclaimed, staring at Abby, totally dumbfounded. "Tatum is way hotter than Pettyfer," she then looked over in my direction. "Help me out, Moonflower."

"I think both of you are wrong," I laughed, tossing popcorn in my mouth. "Matt Bomer is way sexier than either one of them!" As soon as the sentence came out an afterthought crept into my mind. Embry had all three of them beat, hands down. His lean muscles, his flawless skin tone, those lips-that dimple…

"What?" Abby and Leah yelled at the same time, glaring all hard, bringing me out of my naughty little thoughts.

"You need to get your eyes checked, Essie!" Abigail cut her eyes and stole some of my popcorn. We were so immersed in our debate that we didn't even hear Tiffany come in.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What's with all the commotion?" An amused expression danced across her face.

"I'm glad you're here, Tiff," Leah stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "I need you to tell these poor misguided chicks that Tatum is way hotter than Matt Bomer and Alex Pettyfer."

"Sorry Leah," Tiff sighed apologetically, with a stab of humor, "but, I just can't," she added, placing her purse on the table.

"And why the hell not? You don't think Bomer or Pettyfer looks better than Tatum, do you?" Leah stared at Tiffany in utter disbelief.

"No, of course not, Lee." Tiffany smiled as she took a seat beside me and slipped off her shoes.

"So it must be Matthew McConaughey, then?" Abby guessed.

"No." Embry's mom shook her head.

"Then who the heck is it?" I demanded, smiling all the while.

"Adam Rodriguez," she exhaled admiringly.

"Tito!" Leah, Abby, and I shrieked at the same time.

"Oh…yes!" Tiff hooted. "I have been in love with that man since he played Detective Eric Delko on CSI Miami. I was so damn disappointed when that show got cancelled," she noted unhappily.

"Well, that explains why you have all ten seasons of it on DVD," I observed, pointing at her collection.

"Damn right," she confirmed as her phone went off.

_I don't __wanna__ be without you babe; _  
_I don't want a broken heart._  
_Don't __wanna__ take a breath without you babe;_  
_I don't __wanna__ play that part,_  
_I know that I love you,_  
_But let me just say;_  
_I don't want to love you in no kind of way,_  
_No…No!_  
_I don't want a broken heart; _  
_And I don't __wanna__ play the broken-hearted girl_

_No...No!_  
_No broken-hearted girl,_  
_I'm no broken-hearted girl_

Hearing a ringtone like that, I couldn't stop myself from looking at the display name: Josh Uley.

"I have to take this." Tiffany stood up. "Excuse me," she added before leaving the room. I looked over at Leah as she shook her head disapprovingly and took a sip of her soda.

"She's still in love with Embry's dad?" I whispered, staring at Leah.

"Yup," Leah spat. "I guess you can say, the heart wants what the heart wants." The heart. People gave that hollow muscular organ way too much credit.

"I guess" I mumbled rolling my eyes, as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"You don't believe in love?" Leah asked turning to look at me, she carefully scan my face as if she were searching for something in my eyes that couldn't be found.

"I believe it exists, but I only choose to endorse it in 'a kinship sort of way.'" I gestured towards Abby, who was still lost in the movie.

Leah seemed thoughtful. "Maybe if I initially had the same outlook on love as you do, I wouldn't be the way I am now," she stated bitterly, leaning forward. "It's funny, you know?" she smirked shaking her head. "We make all these plans as kids or teenagers and we never think for one second that it won't turn out that way." I nodded in agreement as Leah continued speaking. "Then one day, in the blink of eye, _something _happens, totally changing and destroying everything you ever believed in." Leah had been hurt, that tough exterior she displayed hid her heartache well.

"What was his name?" I finally asked her after a few tense moments.

"Doesn't matter," Leah shrugged indifferently. "It's over now," she added, reinstating her tough girl exterior and went back to watching the movie again.

I wanted to leave it alone, I didn't want to ask Leah any more upsetting questions that might trigger her anger, but my curiosity refused to settle down. She had been hurt by someone, perhaps she could answer the million dollar question that had been dancing around in my head for as far back as I could remembered, since she herself had personally experienced heartache once already. "Leah?" My hands began to fidget as I mustered up all the courage I could find.

"What?" She answered, not taking her eyes off the screen.

I took a long deep breath before speaking, "Do you think you'll ever allow yourself to let anyone in again, you know, _romantically_?"

"Only against my own will." She gritted her teeth. Against her own will? "We're dropping like fucking flies," she muttered more to herself than anyone else, but I still heard her. What the hell was she talking?

"What does that even mean?" I was beyond confused.

"Essie," Abby groaned, slightly annoyed. "Can we just watch the damn movie? Can't you tell Leah doesn't want to talk about this?" she motioned towards Seth's sister, who looked as though she wanted punch something or someone.

I tried, _I really did,_ but despite how much I wanted to immerse myself in this movie and focus on the ever so sexy Matt Bomer, I just couldn't. There were too many unanswered questions plaguing my mind.

For starters, who hurt Leah to the point where she wished she had never fallen in love in the first place?

How can a person fall in love against his or her own will? As if falling in love with someone was unavoidable. Yeah fucking right!

Next there was Embry's mom and dad. I found myself trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Embry said his relationship with his dad was complicated. He hadn't always been around, yet today Tiffany received a phone call from Embry's father. I guess that's not uncommon, many broken up couples have made peace with each other for the sake of their kids. At least that's how it works on TV, right?

But, if Tiffany and Josh were just friends, his personal ringtone was all wrong. _Broken Hearted Girl_ is about a woman who hates loving a certain man, and doesn't want to anymore, because of how bad he's hurt her in the past. But she continues loving him anyway.

And then there was Embry Call. His name alone, made my head spin. I was in uncharted territory here. I won't lie, I've liked guys before, but no one could hold a candle to how I felt about Embry. In the past, whenever I felt myself sliding down that slippery dangerous slope of love and commitment; I'd shut things down with that person and run; not walk; for the hills. How was Embry different from the others? How was he able to form what felt like a bond so quickly with me? Why did not having him around make me feel so incomplete in such a small amount of time? I never told anyone about my home life, no matter how hard they tried to break down my walls. How was he able to do that? Why did I warn him? I never cared if I hurt anyone in the past, so why the hell did I care about his feelings?

"You alright, Essie?" Abby yanked me from my mental ramblings.

"No," I replied. All of that thinking was making my temples throb. "I have a headache; I'm going to see if Tiff has some Advil or Tylenol and then I'm heading to bed." I stood up and gave my sis a kiss on the forehead. I started to pass Seth's sister, who appeared to be a lot more relaxed now that I wasn't giving her the _Spanish Inquisition _anymore. "Night, Clearwater."

"Night, Moonflower." Leah playfully kicked me. "You better not be all emo tomorrow. I don't want to have to drown your ass."

"You gotta catch me first, bitch," I sniggered, flicking her off, prompting her to laugh as well.

Although Tiffany's bedroom door was cracked open slightly, I still felt compelled to knock.

"Come in." Widening the door I noticed Tiff had recently showered and now had on black silk pajamas. She was leaning against her headboard and typing away on her laptop, but closed it and set it aside when I entered the room, giving me her undivided attention. "Everything okay?"

No. Everything is not okay, I thought to myself. I feel like I'm winning at a losing battle here, and your son is to blame; making me feel things I had never wanted to feel before! Just ask for the Tylenol and get the hell out of here, Ester!

Instead, I walked over to Tiffany's bed and sat down on the edge. I heard the bed shift as she slid down to sit beside me. "Ester?" Her voice was laced with so much concern and it felt nice knowing she cared. As Tiffany placed her hand on my shoulder I slowly turned my head and looked into her eyes. Even with her makeup stripped away she was still beautiful; with her exotic features, her deep eyes, and perfect facial structure. I'm sure to this day, men would trip over themselves staring at her, not to mention she was by far, the nicest woman I had ever met. She could probably have any man she wanted around these parts, but instead she wanted Joshua Uley. I just couldn't understand why.

"Why do you still love Embry's father after he deserted you?" I blurted out before I could even stop myself. My eyes widened in shock by my own question as I watched Tiffany's face contort from concern to utter astonishment. "I'm so sorry, Tiffany, me and my big ass mouth…"

"No, it's alright," Tiffany uttered slowly. "Just give me second." Her expression shifted once more to a look of reminiscence, and in a very maternal, nurturing sort of way, Tiffany took my hand into hers.

I all but nearly fell apart. It had been so long since Diane ran her fingers through my hair, or held my hand, or even hugged me. Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned into Tiffany, resting my head on her shoulder. How I missed this. A mother's love. A mother's warmth. Comfort. Safety. Belonging. I did my best to give all those things to Abby, but never got to experience them firsthand. That's when the tears began to flow.

"Oh, sweetie." Tiffany pulled me close and began to rock me slightly like a mother would her newborn child and from there, the sobs only increased. I held her tightly as if my life depended on it. "Someone so young should never feel this lost." Her chin now rested on my head as I leaned in closer to her. "You remind me so much of myself, but on the other end of the spectrum. Instead of being like you, so cautious of love, I found myself always looking for it," she went on. "My parents never displayed any affection towards me or even one another. My dad never spoke to me much or told me he loved me, there were no hugs or kisses given out in the Call household."

I lifted my head finally to look up at her again; she had a nostalgic look in her eyes. "That's when I met Joshua." She smiled at me. "When you're in love, it can make you feel high, invincible almost, like nothing can touch you. I guess that's why some of us spend our whole entire lives looking for it." She paused for a moment and exhaled deeply. "But when love is distorted or dishonest, it can make you feel low. Real low." She nodded to herself. "Joshua Uley was not mine, not entirely. I didn't find out he was married, with a child of his own, until I came looking for him when I was pregnant with Embry. The only correspondence Allison, Sam's mother, ever got from him once he took off was divorce papers, and for me…" she slowly leaned over to her nightstand and pulled out a wrinkly old envelope addressed to her with no forwarding address. "I got this." She handed it to me. "Read it."

I slowly unfolded the crinkled old letter and began.

_'Tiffany,_

_'My love, 'I am sorry' is not enough to heal the heartbreak I've caused you. I don't have the courage to face you and this is the reason I am writing instead. I can still recall the day you told me we were having a boy. You held me; kissed me, never knowing what I already knew. It would be your last. I can't help but wonder if you could see the helplessness in my eyes. I never wanted to leave your side, but I could not continue to love you selfishly. I am not what you need. I would never repent for loving you, but forgiveness is needed on __how__ I loved you. _

_'I know asking favors should be the last thing on my mind, but I still feel constrained to do so. Please don't keep Sam and his brother apart. They are siblings and deserve to know one another. It is I who am unworthy of knowing them; of loving them. I am so deeply sorry for not telling you about Allison and Sam. I am a selfish coward. That is the only explanation I have. Allison is a good woman; I just wasn't a good enough man for either one of you. The separation of our love will kill me every waking moment, but I deserve this. I couldn't be an honest man. My own self-seeking undoing has trashed the love and what we have shared._

_'Hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, I will still be thinking of you. I will childishly depend on those days and weeks and months and years to blanket that sharp sting I feel when I think of you, but to no avail, I'm sure. I got it bad and that __ain't__ good. I dream of you. Am I forever doomed to ache and long for a woman I left long ago? Yes. Yes I am. I deserve to feel this ache for the rest of my life. You, Sam, Allison, and our son deserve better than me._

_This fever that quickens my pulse will break soon. I pray to God every day that my longing to kiss you, and breathe you, and taste the dizzying scent of your skin will soon fade, yet I need it; to hold onto one last piece of you._

_'Maybe one day, another hurricane will roar up and introduce herself and spin me around and around and around. And when she and I are sitting at a restaurant and I am staring at a glass of champagne for what seems like an eternity and she asks me what I am thinking and I say nothing, hopefully that won't be a lie like it usually is. Hopefully I won't want to say: " I'm thinking of Tiffany's eyes, I am thinking of Tiffany's lips, I am thinking of Tiffany's hands, and I am thinking of Tiffany's legs: Tiffany Call and the life I left behind, that's what I am thinking about."_

_I will always love you, _

_'Goodbye._

_'Joshua Embry __Uley__.'_

Still, with all that pain and sorrow Tiffany experienced from Josh, she named her son after him.

"I read that letter thousands of times and thousand times I must have cried," Tiffany whispered sadly. "When Josh came back, years later, I still felt that hurt. The betrayal. I can't tell you how many times I slammed the door in his face, cursed him out, or threw his money back in his face." She shook her head. "That man was relentless," she exhaled sounding exhausted, just thinking about it. "Two years ago, I finally folded. One minute, I'm yelling and screaming at him, the next minute…" she trailed off looking at me suggestively.

Oh my!

"I just wish Embry hadn't walked in on us." I couldn't wipe the stunned expression off my face as I stared wide-eyed at Tiff. Embry must have totally been beside himself walking in on his parents having sex! I cringed at the thought myself. "I have never seen him so angry before," she said with a fearful look in her eyes. Did something happen? Did Embry and his father have words? Tiffany recovered quickly and stared at me. "That's an entirely different story for some other time," she promised. I nodded trying to close my mouth that was still gaping open from her startling revelation.

"They say love means never having to say you're sorry. I don't think that's necessarily true. I think what people mean when they say that is: forgiveness and love can be far more powerful than the hurt and betrayal those who we've loved have caused us—so much to the point where you could open up and love them again or finally open up to someone new." Tiffany looked at me meaningfully. "Love has a way of healing us."

"But it could hurt and kill us, too," I told her frantically. "I don't know if I can take that risk. Love scares me." Thoughts began running through my head. I'm afraid to love Embry. He could hurt me. I could hurt him. I have to protect myself from allowing that to happen.

"Oh, dear," Tiffany ran her fingers through my hair. "I don't think you're _just_ afraid to love someone, I think you're afraid that the person you want, won't love you back." She gently squeezed my hands. "But trust me, Ester, when I say this; he will, and so fiercely you'll never doubt love again." Her words held so much conviction and I knew without a doubt in my mind she was talking about her son.

"How did you know?" I stared at her, flabbergasted.

"My son and I don't have secrets. Not anymore."

"I have hundreds," I confessed.

"Maybe someday you'll trust us enough to reveal them all" She kissed my forehead. "Now you should get some sleep, big fun tomorrow," she giggled.

"The beach!" I exclaimed, how the hell did I forget that? I made a dash for the door but swung around thinking about Abby and her scars. "Oh! Tiffany do you think Abby can borrow your black beaded cover-up for over her swimsuit?" I asked. "She's a little shy."

"You two can borrow anything that belongs to me; that includes my clothes. Speaking of which, I noticed you two don't have much." Clever observation. "If you'd like, we can go shopping sometime."

"That sounds great. I have a little money saved up. I've been meaning to get Abby and me some things," I replied.

"Ester, you're not even eighteen." Tiffany stared back at me. "Food, clothing, and shelter should be provided by your parents. The extra cash you earn is for fun things."

"Well, Diane didn't get that memo," I grunted, folding my arms across my chest.

"Well, I did, and it's laminated, so it can't be changed." I couldn't help but laugh. "You've been taking care of yourself and your sister for far too long. It's time you let someone take care of you."

"But Tiffany-" I started,

"No objections," she cut me off. "I'm. Paying." Tiffany was just as stubborn as I was, if not more. It would be pointless to argue with her.

"Fine," I conceded.

"Good," she beamed, walking into her closet and retrieving her black beaded cover up and handing it to me. "Have fun tomorrow."

"I will try," I exhaled loudly. "Thanks, Tiffany." She had no idea how much she truly helped me.

"Anytime, Ester." She smiled.

"Essie," I corrected her, "Call me Essie."

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Once again, if you review, a nice sneak peak of the next chapter will be in your inbox :D and please add this story to your alerts and favorites. Thanks once again. The last portion of Sam's letter was from Hav Plenty, great independent film. Broken Hearted Girl is performed by Beyoncé. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Beta'd by the awesome and talented Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very amazing and very marvelous Aretee!**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Seven: **Please-and-Thankyou's; fari30; Beauty Eclipsed; KendieV; brankel1; **and** LuverPackGirl **I hope you all realize how happy it makes me when I see your comments. Thank you all so very much!**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts****: **Valina Bosch; LuverPackGirl **and** TwilightHorseGal

**~Check out my profile of original characters~**

**Chapter Eight: OSM **

**Embry POV**

I missed Ester. I mean really _fucking missed her _and it had only been one night. I used to give my pack brothers a lot of shit when we'd have our boy's night out and they'd be feening to get back home to their mates.

Sam would tell me life felt normal, but off slightly without them.

The best way Collin and Quil explained things to me was it always felt like they were forgetting something. To Collin and Quil that something…_that someone_…was Bree and Claire. They were right; that's exactly how I felt.

I used to always think the imprinted wolves were harder and more committed workers, but just last night Jared confessed to us the truth behind their meticulous natures. Staying busy kept their minds preoccupied.

Luckily Paul let us all know a year or so back, that we'd get used it.

Seth dropped me off first thing in the morning at the shop so I could pick up Ester's car, before he headed off to patrol. From there I drove up to the beach to meet up with everyone.

"Leah?" Paul laughed with disbelief. "Leah?!" He repeated again tossing the football at me as I arrived. "Out of all our girls, you called Leah to keep Abigail and Ester company? What the fuck dude?"

"Yeah man," Jared agreed. "The point is to make the new wolf girls comfortable, not scared shitless."

"Do you think Leah would really be a bitch to her own brother's mate?" Jake proposed walking towards us with Bella.

"That only makes Abigail safe, Ester could be a casualty," Brady smirked.

"What are you guys talking about?" Claire asked as she continued helping Rachel and Kim set up their beach equipment for all of the girls.

The things these women carried along with them, besides umbrellas, beach chairs, and towels was insane. Sunscreen, bottles of water, radio, magazines, binoculars, first aid kit (Bells was a little accident-prone), blankets, a jug of water for their sandy feet, along with tons of entertainment, like footballs, volleyballs, and Frisbees. You could say our girls were beach connoisseurs so to speak.

"This guy," Jared pointed at me, "thought it would be a _brilliant idea_ to have Leah hang out with Ester."

"Are you mad at her or something?" Kim demanded looking horrified.

"No!" I angrily chucked the football back to Paul, causing him to stumble back "They met yesterday, and Leah took to her, well sort of, she didn't try to kill her." Thank goodness for that.

"Damn Bree, it took you what? Four months after Collin imprinted on you before Leah would stop cutting her eyes at you." Jared sniggered.

"Even longer before she started calling me by my actual name," Bree chuckled at the memory as Collin ran up behind her, startling her in the process. "You ass-clown!" She giggled as she shoved him playfully.

"Sorry babe." Collin apologized kissing her forehead with a lively smile. "What time is your brother and his boyfriend getting here?"

"Riley and Diego should be here in the next fifteen minutes," she replied staring down at her phone.

Bree and her adoptive brother were pretty tight, she considered him her guardian angel in a lot ways, bearing in mind the fact it was he who found her homeless a couple of years ago. So whenever we had_ 'normal gatherings'_, we'd extend an invite Riley's way. Riley and Diego were living in Port Angeles although they worked together at Rach's restaurant. Things were a little strained for both Bree and Riley at the moment when it came to their parents. They were dating double negatives in their parents' eyes when it came to their significant others.

Bree's parents felt Collin was too young for her, and not white. Things had gotten so bad for Bree at home, she felt she had no choice, but to move in with Rach and Paul last week, since that's where Collin had been living. Rach and Paul weren't too bothered with the temporary living situation because we were a pack and family we stuck together; either way it was a full house. With that being said, Sam's construction company was currently renovating Collin's grandparents' old house. Both Judith and William passed away a few years back; with Billy's blessing Brady, Collin, and Bree would be moving in there once it was done.

For Riley; not only was he gay, but his boyfriend was of Latino descent.

"What up bro? today's the big day, huh?" Sam arrived giving me a fist bump. "I finally get the chance to meet Ester."

"Yup. Hey there Emily." I gave my brother's wife a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired, but that's to be expected." She smiled at me absentmindedly rubbing her still flat stomach.

Although it took me a while to warm up to Emily considering the supernatural circumstances, she grew on me. I had to admit I was pretty excited about becoming an uncle. I couldn't wait to spoil my little niece or nephew rotten. As much as I loved my brother's wife, I still felt guilty at times, because part of me would always have a soft spot for Leah, seeing as I knew her longer and was closer to her.

"Well, don't overexert yourself," I advised her. Emily had a tendency to work too hard, she owned an antique shop on the rez and Sam had been worried about her working too many hours lately.

"You sound just like your brother," she retorted pinching my cheek before joining the rest of the girls who already had everything set up.

"The first pack baby." Jared beamed at my brother hitting him in the shoulder. Sam playfully shoved him back.

"I guess you could say that, even though I'm not really apart of the pack anymore." Sam exhaled.

"You ass-wipe!" Paul jumped on my brother's back, causing him to stagger a bit. "You ain't getting away from us that easily!" Sam shook Paul off effortlessly, and then swung him into a headlock.

"You'll always be a part of the pack Sam, you just quit phasing douche!" Jake added before coming to Paul's aid.

I wasn't about to let anyone double team my brother, so I tackled Jake, causing all four of us to fall in the sand.

"Aww, isn't this just a Kodak moment? Where's a damn camera when you need one?" I heard Leah cooe sarcastically as she approached us. "Oh fuck it, my cell phone will just have to do."

I whipped around to make some wayward playful embarrassing remark to my pack sister, but forgot what the hell I was about to say when I saw her. Ester. She was standing beside Leah smirking, wearing nothing more than a black bikini top and light denim daisy dukes. Her sexy legs went for days and I couldn't stop myself from scanning her from head to toe. Oh yeah, Jessica Simpson had nothing on my imprint.

"Shit," I breathed out loudly.

"Well at least his ass isn't tongue tied anymore." Leah whispered in Ester's ear.

"That he isn't." Ester agreed with Leah smiling at me. "And I must admit I like this Embry a whole lot better." Was my imprint _actually flirting_ with me? Oh hell yes she is! That's what I'm talking about.

"Hey Embry!" Abby beamed beside her sister. "Where's Seth?" She looked around the beach anxiously.

"He had something he needed to take care of, but he'll be here a little later," Jake cut in. "It's nice to finally meet you Abigail."

"You're Jacob?" Seth's imprint grinned happily.

"That's right," he confirmed with a weird smile. "How'd you know?"

"Well, Seth has a lot of pics in his phone of all of you, he sort of showed them to me a few times, told me a couple of things about you all so I wouldn't forget your names or faces," she replied.

"Oh really?" Paul tilted his head staring at Seth's mate. "What exactly did he say?"

"Well, you're Paul, Rachel's fiancé," she began, "and a total dick." We all started laughing, including the girls off in the distance. "But a good guy all the same." Abby added smirking.

"That's about right." Paul agreed with a nod, and then turned his attention to my imprint. "What's up Ester, we didn't get a chance to meet yesterday."

"Hey," Ester replied with amusement, still relishing, I suppose, in her sister's last statement.

"And just so you know, being an asshole is not a bad thing," Paul added. "Just ask our girl Leah, here."

"I'm not an asshole," Leah countered with a menacing look, staring back at Paul. "I'm a grade A bitch and that's Queen B to you."

"Oh! Please forgive me Queen B." Paul feel to his knees and began to grovel at Leah's feet and kiss her hands as well.

"Rach! Please come get your man, he's being gross again!" Leah hollered pushing Paul away from her, throwing him off balance into the sand.

"Looks like you got things covered from where I'm sitting!" Rachel yelled back humorously.

"What did Seth say about me?" Brady cut in.

"You're Brady, Seth's cousin," she said quickly. "Who's next?" Abby asked looking around at our group.

"That's it? No smart remarks? No grand personality trait?" Brady seemed a little ticked off. I could tell Abigail was holding back what Seth told her about his cousin, as her lips formed into a tight line, looking back at me for what appeared to be guidance.

"Go ahead Abby, we have no secrets," I urged her with a grin on my face. After hearing what Seth said about Paul I just had to know what he said about Brady, I also wanted Abby to feel like she could always say whatever she was thinking. She was a part of the pack now just like the rest of our wolf girls.

"He said you were a really good singer," she murmured.

"Well, everybody knows that," Brady bragged. It was true, Brady really sounded a hell of a lot like Bruno Mars, with a touch of Usher mixed in, but he had a tendency to be a bit cocky about it. It drove us all insane sometimes.

"Yeah, but he also said you like singing Rhianna and Katy Perry songs at the top of your lungs in the shower, when you _think_ no one is around," she finally divulged with a grin that cut through his cocky smile. Brady's eyes widened the size of saucers.

"Oh man!" Collin keeled over laughing. "How the hell did we not know that shit?! I can't wait to tell all the chicks at school..."

"I think that would be a really shitty thing to do Collin, especially considering the fact you still sleep with a teddy bear named Dr. Bo Bo." With that Collin immediately stopped laughing while all of us burst into a fit of hysterics.

"No!" Collin shook his head frantically. "That's not true! I don't sleep with him at night anymore, he just sits on my bed for decoration."

"That doesn't make that shit any better man!" Quil gasped in between laughs. "You're such a pansy dude!"

"Don't call him a pansy, I think it's sweet!" Abigail defended Jake's cousin. "Besides, it's not like he used to dress up in his mom's clothes and high heels when he was twelve and sing _I Feel Like a Woman_ by Shania Twain; Quil Ateara," she added. "Not that I think anything is wrong with that. I think a man being in touch with his feminine side is a good thing." I officially adored my mate's little sister! Abby was gonna fit in with all of us just fine.

By this time Jared was in tears, trying to catch his breath as he hung on to Paul. Sam tried to remain stoic, but by look on my brother's face he was just about to burst any minute now. Jake quickly turned around and tried to hide his face, but everyone heard his guffaws loud and clear.

"That shit does not count! Leah, Rach, and Becca used to tie me down and make me do it, tell her Leah!" Quil pleaded desperately with our pack sis.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Quil," Leah lied effortlessly. "You told us you loved your mom's dresses, we just simply helped you try them on, at least that's how I remembered it."

"This is some bullshit man!" Quil threw his hands up and stormed off.

"Does anyone else want to know how I remembered their names?" Abby asked looking around with the most evil grin on her face. Ester was standing beside her sister looking upon her with the proudest expression, and a hint of utter amusement.

Jared, Sam, and Jake immediately stopped laughing.

"Hell no!" They all exclaimed at once.

"Let's just stick to normal introductions." Sam stepped forward. "Hello Ester and Abigail, I'm Sam."

"Embry's brother," Ester replied looking from me and then back at Sam. "You two look a lot alike."

"Strong Uley genes," Sam replied shaking Ester and Abby's hands. "We'll find out soon enough whose genes are stronger between my wife and me, we're having a baby."

"Wow! Embry didn't tell me." Ester stared at me inquisitively, however. I couldn't stop my eyes from shifting towards Leah instead, just as her smile slowly faded. Her new expression wasn't jealous by any means, or angry. There was a sadness, maybe a little longing, but just as quickly as the forlorn look appeared, it vanished.

"Come on Abby." Leah tugged Ester's sister's arm. "I'll introduce you to the girls," she added avoiding eye contact with Sam. "And Ester, you haven't met Emily yet, Sam's _wife_." This time Leah did make eye contact with my brother, but it was Sam who looked away this time.

**~XoXoXoXoX~ **

I had to admit I was impressed by how Abby acclimated into our group of girls. It seemed effortless for her, and I could tell Ester was doing her best to do the same, but her guard seemed up still a bit. Either way I was proud she was making great strides. Another remarkable thing I noticed about the sisters was the fact that Abby and Ester didn't cringe or stare at the scars on Emily's face like most people did when meeting her for the first time. It was as if Abby and Ester didn't see them or just saw past them. Perhaps they had seen so much bad shit in their lives that Emily's scars seemed benign in comparison.

When Bree's brother Riley, and his boyfriend Diego showed up, once again Abby and Ester had no outward display of discomfort, just acceptance. Once introductions were made, I relaxed beside Ester and watched the guys toss the football around.

"Here's your car keys." I handed them over.

"You brought my car?" Ester stared down at her keys and then back at me.

"Naw, I just brought your keys and left your car at my shop," I retorted sarcastically, as Ester hesitantly slide her hand over towards mine. I held my breath, preparing myself for the touch I had been itching for since the day I met her, but just when I thought Ester was about to interlocked her hand with mine she pulled away. The whole feeling like _a kicked puppy_ finally made sense.

"You're such an ass," She finally muttered with a smirk, palming her keys and setting them beside her.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ester lifted her fingers and began tracing the intricate designs of my tattoo. Ester was touching me finally, and it felt better than I ever imagined. I closed my eyes and just relished in the feeling of her fingertips against my skin. Fucking amazing. "That's bad-ass." I slowly opened my eyes, to find Ester looking back at me with those intriguing dark orbs of hers. "No wonder why you got your panties in a wad over me talking shit about wolves." Her eyes darted back to my arm and her voice turned soft. "You love them." She added biting her lip seductively. What the hell was she trying to do to me? Kill me? Suddenly my mind started thinking of all the dirty places I would love to have her lips on me.

_Don't get hard! Don't get hard! Think of something else! Quil dressed in his mom's dress singing Shania Twain..._

"But I guess it makes sense to love wolves, considering the fact we supposedly _descend_ from them." I went from turned on, to utterly stunned in a matter of seconds. Ester knew the legends of our tribe! I couldn't stop my mouth from hanging open as I gaped at my imprint with utter astonishment.

Laughing uncontrollably, Ester leaned over and pursed my lips back shut. "Don't look so surprised Embry, just because Abby and I weren't born on the rez, doesn't mean my dad didn't tell us shit about this place." At that very moment, I mentally thanked Tim Moonflower for sharing our tribe's legends with his daughters. Maybe letting _the wolf outta the bag _won't be so bad afterall. Who the hell am I kidding? Ester is going to totally flip the fuck out when she finds out. But who could blame her? "So wolves, you really love 'em huh?" She repeated once more.

"We all do." I answered after getting over my initial shock, as I motioned my chin towards my boys. "It's sort of a _member's only_ tattoo. We're the only guys in our tribe who have them. Leah has one too." A part of me was ready to tell her everything about the pack, but another part of me was unsure. I decided I would wait until after I heard back from Josh's PI regarding her brother Rick. A little bit of great news followed by a supernatural bombshell. Yeah, that works. Doesn't it?

"Are you guys in a gang or something?" Ester asked still tracing my tattoo. She really needed to cut that shit out, or I was going to be in full salute.

_Shit, think, think, think. Brady singing Roar by Katy Perry_. I laughed out loud._ I'd paid to see that shit! Reminder: Phase with Seth ASAP! _

"Not a bad one," I answered quickly. I didn't want her to get the wrong impression. But she pulled her hand away.

"Oh." Oh? Her tone almost sounded...disappointed? "Just when I thought I found a flaw..." she mumbled to herself, running her hand through her hair. I acted as though I didn't hear her just as her tattoo on the inside of her right wrist finally got my eye. What the hell? Why hadn't I noticed that until now? I had been so focused on her face, those legs, her lips... "Embry?" Her voice was slightly strained. I hadn't even realized I was now holding her hand, stroking her peculiar choice for a tattoo.

"Cone snail." I looked up at her. Why a cone snail? One drop of venom from this tiny son of a bitch is enough to end twenty human lives. Older folks refer to it as the _cigarette snail_, it has been said that when you are stung by this nasty little fucker, you'll have just about enough time to smoke a cigarette before you stop breathing. It's not like it matters anyway though…there is no anti-venom. Is that how she viewed herself? Small, beautiful, and deadly?

"Why?" I finally asked her.

"I earned it," Ester muttered pulling her hand away from me. "You and I are from two completely different worlds Embry, tattoos like mine-where I come from—are pretty common," she remarked bitterly, turning her head away from way from me. I used to hate it when people said shit like that, there was only one world. But now after getting tidbits of information about Ester's life in comparison to mine, I finally understood.

"You're right Ester," I responded softly. "You and I are from two different worlds."

"Duh," she scoffed as she concentrated on my pack tossing around the football.

"But you know what?" I gently tugged her chin so I could see her beautiful face. Her expression seemed unsure and little afraid. I finally dropped my hand. "We're in the same world now." I had no plans of letting her go. She was mine and I was hers. I couldn't control my next actions, slowly I leaned in to kiss her, Ester's eyes widened slightly with shock finally comprehending what I was set on doing. Right before my lips touched hers, I heard her let out a slight gasp, that transformed into the sexiest whimper. Instead of resisting, I felt both of Ester's hands grip my face leaning in to our kiss. I was kissing my imprint, and she wasn't pulling away!

Kissing Ester was better than anything I had ever felt in my whole entire life. My stomach was doing somersaults, as I could hear the increased beating of Ester's heart. I was making her do that! Me kissing her. The little innocent sweet pecks, started getting hot and heavy, when Ester's tongue swept my bottom lip, I parted my mouth inviting her in and decided to do some exploring of her mouth with my tongue as well. Fucking bliss! My mind couldn't help but wander if kissing her felt this good, what making love to her would feel like. I couldn't suppress the groan that escaped my mouth just from the thought alone.

"¡Dios mio!" I heard Diego gasped. "I don't wanna see that chica!" His tone was filled with humor. Shit, I honestly forgot we were on a public beach. Yeah, that's how good kissing Ester felt.

"¡Entonces deje de mirar!" Ester playfully sassed back at Diego after pulling away from me. Damn she sounded hot! We'd found out earlier, Ester became damn near fluent in Spanish after working at some distribution center back where her and Abby used to live, because some of her co-workers spoke very little English and felt more comfortable speaking in their native tongue. Ester never ceased to amaze me.

"So I guess this means, you won't be delivering my lips to my mom." I smirked, Ester playfully tried to smacked my arm, but I caught it instead and pulled her in for one more sweet kiss. I could do this all day,

"Shit!" Claire cursed loudly. "It's the Shadow sisters!" Quil's girl barked sounding pissed and annoyed all at once. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere...

"Who are they?" Ester asked me, pulling out of our little bubble as the two sisters started approaching us.

"Topaz and Opal Shadow," I replied angrily.

"And their names fit them perfectly, because all those bitches do is throw shade." Leah sneered.

"Not Topaz, she just follows behind her sister with her head down, like a lost puppy, not even bothering to look anyone in the face." Rachel actually sounded like she felt a little bad for the kid.

Seventeen year old Opal Shadow, what could I say? I couldn't even refer to her as a bitch, because that would be an insult to Leah. She was worse than that. More a like a virus.

There was not much I could say about her fifteen year old sister Topaz, considering the fact that she rarely spoke or and never looked anyone in the eye. Like Rachel, I felt sorry for the kid, she had Opal as her sister and no self-esteem.

Ester stood up and dusted the sand off herself, I did the same. Within seconds the rest of the girls were on their feet and the guys stopped tossing the football around. They joined us.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Opal tapped her chin. "It looks like there are some new additions to your little clique," she said bitterly, smiling all the while at Ester and Abby, while her sister Topaz fidgeted with her hands and looked anywhere but at us. "Ester and Abigail Moonflower I presume?"

"How do you know that?" Ester glared at Opal.

"News travels fast around these parts," she replied nonchalantly. "I guess it's a good thing. Now the Moonflower name shall live on." Opal's eyes shifted from Ester to Abigail. "It's funny though, you," she pointed at Abby, "look nothing like the Moonflowers, while Ester here is a spitting image of them." She stepped forward towards Abby. "If you ask me, it looks like your mommy had an affair, with the milk man...the _white_ milk man."

"Fuck you!" Abby snarled as Ester grabbed her sister by the waist preventing her from going after Opal.

"Opal get the hell outta here, no one wants to deal with your shit today," Jacob growled as Leah leaned over and whispered to me that she was going to find Seth. "Besides you're just pissed because Seth rather hang out with Abby than you."

"You think I give a damn about this pale face bitch?" Opal flicked her hair back. "What the hell did you do to get Seth's attention anyway?" she glared at Abby. "Don't even answer that," she threw up her hand. "I know how you white girls are..."

"Damn it Opal that's enough!" I trembled, I had just enough of her bullshit.

"Insult my sister one more time and..." Ester began but was cut off.

"And what? You think I'm scared of you or your sister?" Opal sniggered back at Ester. "Please." She rolled her eyes.

"You should be," Ester countered. "Ever seen a lion attack a gazelle? Let's just say, I'm the fucking lion!" Ester stepped forward balling up her fists, but Bree pulled her back, while Rach kept a hold of Abby who looked as though she was about to lose it.

"No one is attacking anybody!" Bella spoke up trying to be the voice of reason. "Get out of here Opal." As if on queue, Topaz pulled her sister by the arm and tried to pull her away.

"Let go!" Opal barked at her, Topaz dropped her hand immediately. "I'll go when I'm good and damn ready."

"Oh you're ready," I told her, she was pissing off my imprint and I didn't like it one bit.

"You know what," Ester cocked her head at Opal. "You ain't even worth it," she laughed taking hold of Abby from Rach and slowly began pulling Abby away, and towards her car. I could hear her whispering in Abby's ear, "Don't lose it, don't let her piss you off, we're almost out of here." Ester kept repeating that mantra over and over again quietly to her sister. Abby's hands were clinched tightly into fists and it was obvious to us all she was shaking like a leaf, as she continued taking very deep breaths.

"Yeah that's right," Opal hooted. "Walk away skank!"

"Oh no you didn't!" Claire snarled in disbelief, she leapt forward trying to get a hold of Opal, but Quil held her back, we expected this from his mate. Claire had a temper like no other so everyone was rallied around Claire trying to calm her down. Everyone, except me, I had my eyes on Ester and Abby, as her little sister stopped dead in her tracks.

"Shit!" I heard Ester exclaim as Abby whipped around and ran full speed back towards Opal and tackling her like a defensive lineman in the NFL! She then proceeded to throw a fury of punches. Ester was already racing towards her car. Where the hell is she going at a time like this?

**A/N: Want a sneak peak of the next chapter? Review, and one will be sitting in your inbox ASAP! Thanks for reading, please add this story to your alerts and favorites.**

**Translations: **

****¡**Dios mio! - My God**

**¡Entonces deje de mirar! - Then stop looking!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**Be sure to check out pics of my original characters and places on my profile**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Eight: **Please-and-Thankyou's; fari30; tiffanythibedeau ; Guest; reader5sam; Seth's Girl 4eva ; PernFan; KendieV; brankel1; xBlownxAwayx; MarinaNamaste **and **LuverPackGirl** You all put smiles on my face, and keep me motivated. Thank you all so very much!**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts: ****PernFan; **Seth's Girl 4eva; inkhart; SmoothSurface; Maxsmomma and ScarletRavemwood; waterbender-inlalaland **and** xBlownxAwayx

**I would also like to personally thank ****europ92 and her amazing staff for adding my story to her ****When Gravity Moves****… community! Check it out; awesome imprint stories are on there!**

**Chapter Nine: Abby's Rage; Ester's Confession**

"Abby, that's enough damn it! You're gonna kill her!" She completely ignored me, and continued whipping Opal's ass. If anyone deserved to get her ass kicked, it was Opal Shadow, but I couldn't let it happen at the expense of getting Abby in trouble. Shit, I had to think fast. "Claire, go get her!" I screamed at Quil's girlfriend, within seconds she was running over to Abby, who was still manhandling Opal. Claire attempted to pull the two girls apart, but instead Abby roughly shoved Claire away almost making her fall, luckily Quil caught her.

One by one, Rachel, Kim, Bree, and Bella took turns trying to pull Abby off of Opal, but she just continued shoving the girls away, going back to beating Opal's ass. Opal was now screaming bloody murder.

"A-B-I-G-A-I-L!" Abby spelled between punches. "Abigail, bitch! My fucking name is Abigail!"

"She's too damn strong! One of you guys, need to get her!" Bella seemed to be the only one who made sense sometimes. I sprinted over to Abby and finally yanked her off of Opal. Still, even in my arms, she continued resisting. Damn, she was really strong.

Topaz was already kneeling beside her sister. "She broke my nose!" Opal cried. "I'm going to the Council with this and will have her thrown off the rez," she added as her sister helped her up.

"I'd like to see you try. You provoked her." I argued back, still holding Abby, who only appeared to grow stronger by the minute. What hell was this chick on? Steroids?

"I'm not done with you yet, bitch!" Abby screamed.

"You'll be sorry!" Opal threatened clenching her nose.

"Get the hell outta here before I let her go," I snarled back. A horrified expression crossed Opal's face, and she all but ran off the beach.

"I swear on everything I love, Embry; if you don't let me go, I'll shove my foot so far up your ass, my toes will be your new fucking teeth!" I had never felt such anger in one person. It felt like her blood was boiling, and that was saying a lot coming from someone like me, who always runs hot.

Finally, the screeching sound of Ester's tires alerted us all that she had came back. She came racing down towards us with a syringe in her hand.

Abby's face contorted into sheer terror, as her sister approached us. "No! No! No! Please, Essie...I'll calm down on my own." She began begging frantically.

"I'm so sorry, Abby." Ester apologized with tears in her eyes, "I heard that one too many times, and you never can, baby." She added before sticking Abby with the needle in her arm.

"It's not my fault." Abby weakly slurred as her eyes grew heavy.

"I know sweetie, I know." Ester spoke quietly. Within mere minutes, Abby was in a deep coma-like slumber.

What the hell did Ester just give her sister, and what the hell was wrong with sweet little Abby?

Ester POV

They followed me. Every single last one of them—about sixteen people. They pretty much occupied Tiff's entire house. Embry carried Abby inside and gently laid her down in bed. When we returned, all eyes were on me. I saw all sorts of different expressions. Concern. Fear. Curiosity. Sadness. No judgment; no anger. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Having so many people caring for me felt overwhelming. Seconds later, Seth came storming through the front door with Leah. He didn't even bother saying anything to any of us; he was making a beeline straight for the guest room.

"Seth, wait!" Jake's voice halted him instantly. "Outside. Now. I need to show you what happened." Seth stared at me for a moment before doing an about face and heading back outside. "You too, Leah." It amazed me how saucy Leah obediently followed behind them. She didn't seem like the type who liked being told what to do, but nonetheless, she did as Jake told. There was something very different about these people, and…I intended to find out…_everything_.

"I'll take over so Seth can stay." Brady announced.

"Take over what?" I asked with a lost expression.

Brady looked over at me. "Tribal Hood Watch," he answered and then pointed to his tattoo. So, that's what Embry meant by _'members only_'. I nodded in understanding, slowly sitting down at the table.

Embry sat beside me and interlocked his hand with mine. Usually, a gesture so intimate would have made me recoil, instead, I savored it. With his other hand, he stroked my cheek. His warmth and his intoxicating scent calmed me so quickly I almost forgot what happened at the beach today.

It was only short lived, as I heard Leah, Seth, and Jake re-enter Tiffany's house.

"I just have to see her," Seth told me with a pleading tone and a worried look in his eyes. Why was Abby so important to him? And why on earth did I truly believe he actually cared for my little sister?

"You don't ever have to ask me permission to see her; I know you care." I watched Seth's chest rise and fall dramatically.

"Thank you," he murmured and rushed quickly down the hall. Bella and Rachel worked silently side by side in the kitchen making sandwiches for everyone.

"Ester-" Embry whispered softly.

"Essie." I cut him off. "Call me Essie. I don't have many friends but the ones I do have call me Essie." Embry's eyes widened and moistened at the same time; he quickly blinked away his unshed tears.

"Essie," Embry drawled. My name from his lips sounded amazing. It warmed me instantly, knowing by taking down some of my walls, Embry had been made happy.

"Thank you for helping with Abby today," He had no idea how grateful I was, "All of you." I spoke a little louder so everyone could hear me.

"We wish we could have helped more," Jake grunted. He was sitting across from me while Leah sat beside him. "Look Ester, we understand your past was rough, and you don't like talking about shit, but you have to at least tell us what happened out there today. Abby went from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde in a matter of minutes." Jake was right; they all deserved an explanation.

"Explaining what happened with Abby today would mean having to explain a great deal more about us." I told them all as my voice cracked a bit. "Can I wait until Seth comes back out? I just hate having to repeat our dysfunctional story more than once in a day."

"I'm right here," Seth spoke up, standing in the entrance of the hallway. "You can start by telling us what you injected Abby with." I didn't miss the hint of anger in his voice, but I was too emotionally exhausted to snap back at him.

"A sedative," I simply replied instead. "It's the only thing I discovered that works." I exhaled sadly. "Over the years, I've tried everything with her. Breathing exercises, counting to ten, acknowledging her feelings, and even checked my own lifestyle to see if I was doing something wrong and influencing her-," I stopped and shook my head at the memories, "because I used to get into a lot of fights back then—but nothing ever worked. Abby is the sweetest person you could ever meet. Vibrant, happy, and so innocently beautiful." My lips quivered. "I can remember times when I was little and my dad was still alive. People would walk across a street just to meet Abby, because her smile drew them in." I smiled at those memories. "She was a good girl until she got upset or angry." I exhaled. "She wouldn't react like most kids would with a simple tantrum. She'd take things further. Break things. Punch holes in walls. Abby would scream obscenities; destroy a whole entire room, and when she was done being angry, she would feel utterly terrible. She always was so remorseful afterwards." I could taste the salty salvia in my mouth and knew the tears would be flowing soon. "When Abby was ten, she started stealing Diane's lighters and burning herself. She said it helped keep her calm, and I know it sounds twisted, but it did. Still, I knew it was wrong and I tried to get her to stop. It was so hard for her, but she just couldn't."

I was interrupted by a slight commotion. Collin cradled Bree who was now sobbing, and Riley rubbed her back. There was no doubt in my mind that Bree herself had been through some pretty tough times. It was obvious, from one messed up kid to another, I felt kindred to her, my heart ached for her and I almost fell apart, but I knew I had to get this out and if I stopped now, I never would, so I continued on.

"Things took an even more dangerous turn for the worst just after Abby turned thirteen. She got into this horrendous fight at school and was arrested. She messed up the other girl real bad; put her in the hospital. Abby was ordered by a juvenile judge to seek mental help. I don't even think Diane would have bothered taking her, had it not been for the court order. It's funny," I laughed bitterly, "Diane seemed more bothered and annoyed by the fact that she had to get up from her sofa and be a mom that day."

"That bitch," I heard Claire mutter.

"Yeah," I agreed. "That's when Abigail was diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder."

"What is that exactly?" Bella asked, taking a seat on Jake's lap.

"It's a mental condition characterized by impulsivity, hostility, and recurrent aggressive outbursts. Individuals, who have it, have higher levels of two inflammation markers in their blood, according to a new study. These two markers consistently correlate with aggression and impulsivity." I answered. The room was completely silent filled with blinking eyes and shocked expressions.

"That's what Abby meant when she said it wasn't her fault," Embry recollected, rubbing my back.

"Exactly." I nodded.

"There's no cure. Mood stabilizers help, but they're not always effective, as you all saw today." I officially hated Opal Shadow. "People with IED don't respond the same way others do when placed in certain situations. Like being called out by their name. Abby loses her cool with everyone except for Diane. When she hits her, Abby does nothing. I always have to step in." That broke my heart. It was so quiet. I wished someone would just say something..._anything_!

Paul spoke up from his place on one of the stools near the kitchen. "If it makes you feel any better Es, something like today was bound to happen eventually. I mean, Opal is a straight up bitch-and not in a good way like Leah."

"That's the sweetest shit you've ever said to me, Paul." Leah sniped, flicking him off at the same time. I smirked, and silently thanked Paul and Leah for easing such a tense room.

"Medications and doctor visits aren't cheap…how was Diane able to pay for everything?" Seth asked.

"She couldn't." I shook my head, fighting back the tears. I couldn't tell them the truth behind how the funding for Abby came to be. I could feel my hands getting clammy and the living room felt small. What would they think of me? What would they say? My head began to pound and I found myself laying it down on the table. "I can't. I can't tell you…" I felt so ashamed.

"Hey," I heard Embry's voice gently whisper in my ear, "it's alright." He continued stroking my back comfortingly. "No one here is going to judge you for what you did in the past, or look down on you. The past is exactly what it is. The past." I wanted to believe Embry. I wanted to believe that when I revealed my demons, he wouldn't look at me differently or walk away. In the past, I never cared who left me or stuck around. Not after losing my dad and Ricky. But for some strange reason, I couldn't begin to imagine how my life would be if Embry wasn't around anymore.

I wanted Leah's friendship, and I wanted Abby to have true happiness with Seth. "I'm not going anywhere." With those four sincere words, I finally looked up and saw nothing but devotion in Embry's eyes. I was totally taken aback and couldn't stop myself from reaching out and touching his face. He shut his eyes briefly as he took a deep breath. This felt right. He and I. Me and him. Embry and Essie.

"And I'm not walking away from Abby." I slowly twisted my head in Seth's direction. "It doesn't matter what she's dealing with, we'll face it together."

"Nos preocupamos por usted y Abby," Diego drawled with his beautiful Latin accent. "I can honestly tell you, speaking from personal experience, that these people are fiercely loyal. I've never truly felt comfortable in my own skin until I met Riley and he introduced me to all his friends." I liked Diego and Riley almost instantly upon meeting them earlier, before the drama ensued. Both men were tall and handsome, but in totally different ways.

Riley was around 6'3" with vivid brown eyes and shining dirty blond hair. He was muscular, tall and handsome with soft-looking, paler skin than Abby's, but darker than Bella's. Diego, on the other hand, had thick, curly black hair, full lips, wide eyes, and a flawless cappuccino skin-tone. He was lean, but muscular and around 6 feet tall. The two lovers belonged on the runway, but instead they loved the kitchen.

Taking in my surroundings today at the beach, I observed the way Embry's group of macho men interacted with Riley and Diego. They treated them well, and never made them feel uncomfortable. I was pretty shocked by who Diego was closest to out of Embry's group of friends; Paul Lahote.

Apparently, since Rach and Riley spent so much time perfecting the menu at the B-Spot together, Paul and Diego ended up spending time together and discovered that they had a lot in common. Diego was a man's man, while Riley was a bit on the softer side. It all worked out I guess since Rachel adored Diego as well.

"You got some deep dark secrets, woman," Leah added, "But who the fuck doesn't?" She flung her hands around the room. "You think you're not normal? Take a good look at our group of misfits." She motioned with a laugh. "We got gay lovers, former love triangles, young adults disowned by their parents, one relationship bordering jailbait tendencies, and trust me sweetheart, you ain't seen shit yet!" I couldn't help but start laughing in between the tears that streamed down my face. "You and Abby fit in with us. To hell with normal and perfect, we embrace the abnormal and imperfect. You're home, Essie. You're home."

Rachel was now standing beside me with Kleenex.

"Thanks, Rachel." I told her, taking the box of tissues from her. She simply nodded and gave me an encouraging smile.

"You and Abby are not alone anymore, Es." Jake reached over and grabbed one of my hands. "We're family and it's not just because our grandfathers were cousins. We are all connected here through deeper lines than that." I believed him. I could sense there was something sacred about this group of people and for some reason unbeknownst to me, I felt like I was a part of them, like we were all connected in some form or fashion. You can do this Ester. You got this!

I cleared my throat. "When Abby got diagnosed, I was working part time as a waitress and still trying to go to school while Diane wasn't doing shit. She was just crashing out on the sofa, drinking heavily, and snorting up pretty much anything she could get her hands on." I never understood how selfish my mom could be sometimes. "My waitressing job barely covered the rent and other utilities. We were really in a bad place and we were close to getting evicted. I didn't know what to do. I felt so helpless, and desperate. That was until I met Salem."

"Who the hell is Salem, your boyfriend?" I could hear the jealously dripping from Embry's voice.

"Hell, no." Embry relaxed instantly after my response. "Salem was the older brother of this chick named Keira who I used to go to school with. Everyone knew who Salem was. He would show up in a different ridiculously expensive car each day of the week. The rumor was Salem made his money illegally and he wasn't a guy to be fucked with." Or you would end up in a body bag or MIA. "Salem and I never spoke to one another until the day I got into this huge fight with some girl whose name I can't even remember now." I shook my head. "That chick had been bothering me in class for a whole week straight just because of the shoes I was wearing. We met up off campus so we wouldn't get in trouble, and I proceeded to beat the shit outta her. Salem just so happened to be there that day because Keira wanted to see the fight."

I paused for a moment and looked over to see if Embry was still with me. He was. My will strengthened and I continued. "The next day when Salem showed up to pick up his sister, he approached me. He said he had a business proposition for me. I told him to piss off because I wasn't going to be a whore or sell drugs for him." I noticed Embry start gripping the table to the point where his knuckles were almost white. He was shaking. I immediately stopped talking.

"You alright, bro? Do you need to step outside?" Jake asked him, he quickly shook his head 'no'. "Go on, Essie. Continue," Jake coaxed me.

"Salem told me I wouldn't have to sell drugs or sleep with anyone."

"What did he want you to do then?" Leah cut in.

"Fight." I answered. I heard a few murmured curse words and a few gasps throughout the whole entire room, but willed myself to continue. "Apparently, illegal fighting was one of the ways Salem made his money, but before me, the fighters were adults and male. He said I was his _muse_; the thought came to him after seeing me in the fight that day. _Beautiful teenaged girls beating the shit outta each other_." I finished as Embry let out what sounded like a ferocious growl from a mad dog. What the hell was that about?

**A/N: Want a sneak peak of the next chapter? Review this chapater and the sneak peak of Chapter 10 will sitting in your lovely inboxes. Thanks once again for reading. If you haven't already, pretty please add If You're Not the One to your favorites and alerts.**

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	10. Chapter 10

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**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Eight: **Valina Bosch; Please-and-Thankyou's; fari30; tiffanythibedeau ; reader5sam; Seth's Girl 4eva ; PernFan; brankel1; xBlownxAwayx; MarinaNamaste; sugarishfreak; **and **LuverPackGirl** You all put smiles on my face, and keep me motivated. Thank you all so very much!**

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**Chapter Ten: Loving the Shattered Pieces **

**Embry POV**

"Who the hell would pay to watch some twisted shit like that?" I demanded furiously glaring at Essie, all the while trying to keep myself from phasing at the fucking table.

"You'd be surprised." She shrugged indifferently. "There are some pretty unsavory characters that hide behind their wealth and status, some of them have some pretty twisted fantasies." That's a fucking understatement! "I just needed the money _so bad_."She shut her eyes for a moment, and once again I grabbed Essie's hand, letting her I know I was here; I wasn't going anywhere and as if she understood what I was trying to express she squeezed my hand back in understanding.

"Hey." I spoke softly as Essie opened her eyes and stared at me with such uncertainty. "Same world, remember?" I reminded, kissing her forehead. Essie nodded, and gave me a sad smile as she took a deep breath and continued.

"The money-it really paid well. Diane got Abby and me insurance finally, but it was I who had to pay the bill. I didn't just do it because I was pressed for cash or because I was good at it." She looked down our interlocked hands, and touched her wrist tattoo. "I liked fighting." She confessed. "Because every single time I took a swing at one of those girls, I only saw Diane's face. Every night, it was Diane's ass I was beating. I showed no mercy, and it felt _good_." Her voice sounded slightly euphoric, and I honestly I couldn't blame her tone. Diane was a real piece of work. "I would have kept fighting, had it not been for Abby following me one night to one of my fights. No matter how great it felt fighting, it didn't take away from how terrible it felt seeing Abby's face that night. She blamed herself for me getting involved with the illegal shit." She added remorsefully. "I hated myself for making her feel that way, so I quit. I got my GED instead and started working at a nearby distribution center. The money was nowhere near as good as the money I made fighting, but it paid the bills and our health insurance."

"What about Salem?" I had to know if this asshole was going to be a nuisance. "He just let you walk away without any repercussions?"

"Yeah," she laughed with an elated expression on her face, "by then, Salem had four other female teenage fighters of his own besides myself. There had to be at least forty in total who fought the circuit. Besides, it was starting to get difficult to place me in fights after people started referring to me as Cone Snail Moonflower." Small. Beautiful. Deadly. "I swore I would never fight again; I always tried to walk away. Although, Opal had me ready to throw that shit out the window today. The only fights I've ever lost were to Abby, but I blame that on the IED because it gives her superhuman strength."

"That explains why none of us girls were able to pull Abby off of Opal," Claire said out loud shaking her head.

"Yeah," Rachel agreed, "your sister tossed us around like a bunch of rag dolls." She cringed.

"I'm really sorry," she apologized to us. "I should have told Embry or one of the other guys to grab a hold of her before driving back to Tiffany's, but all I could think about was getting Abby sedated, and quickly."

I knew there was more. Ester hadn't touched on the topics of her father and brother, but pretty much revealed why she was so protective of her sister. She uncovered so many dark secrets under an hour. I suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. Here was the woman I was meant to love and protect; pouring out her soul to all of us, and I still hadn't gone into depth about my own personal _daddy issues_ or shared with her the biggest secret of my entire existence. I realized now that I _had_ to tell her. I couldn't wait for Josh to tell me whether his private eye had any success finding her brother, Ricky.

Ester suggested for everyone to go back to the beach, and try to have a good time. Although they were all reluctant, I whole-heartedly agreed. Seth and I stayed behind, of course, along with Jake, Bella, and Leah.

Leah, Essie, and Bella chatted quietly amongst themselves in the living room, while Jake and I sat at the table playing a game of cards.

"Tiff's home and she's not alone," Seth announced, staring out my mom's window. I slowly rose from the table and walked over just as mom was getting out of the car. Sue stepped out of the passenger seat while Josiah Cameron, Jared's dad, stepped out the back and walked over to my mom's trunk to pull out Billy's wheelchair. As soon as Josiah finished getting Billy settled in, Old Quil slid out. They all looked visibly upset and aggravated.

"This shit can't be good," Jake grumbled, rising from the table to open the front door. "Hey, dad!" he exclaimed with mock excitement.

"Don't you _'hey, dad'_ me," he scowled as Josiah wheeled him inside. "We were in the midst of a very important impromptu council meeting this morning with Embry's father via satellite when Opal Shadow and her parents came storming in. Opal claims that Ester Moonflower's sister tried to kill her on the beach today!"

"Dad, that's not even how it went down!" Jake began to explain as Essie joined my side.

"We don't take what she says at face value. We know she tends to exaggerate things." Sue cut in trying to calm down Essie who was about to come unhinged.

"But something did happen today," Josiah acknowledged. "And we are obligated to investigate all occurrences."

"We heard her _dramatization_," Old Quil rasped, taking a seat. "Now, do you mind sharing your version of the events?"

For the next twenty minutes, we all sat around and explained what took place at the beach from the moment Opal approached us, to when I finally yanked Abby away so Ester could sedate her. After I was done speaking, Ester reluctantly told The Elders about Abigail's condition. After ten minutes of silence, Josiah finally spoke.

"I have never in all my life met a young lady, like Opal Shadow so set on stirring up so much controversy." He shook his head.

"So what happens now?" I asked. "How much trouble is Abby in?"

"They will both have to exchange apologies." Billy exhaled. "Opal; for provoking Abby, and Abby; for breaking Opal's nose." Leah laughed, but tried to camouflage it with a cough. No one bought it.

"Opal's mother is demanding that someone pay her daughter's hospital expenses. She may need reconstructive surgery." Josiah exhaled on a somber note. "Or she'll press charges on Abigail."

"I can't afford that shit!" Essie gasped. "I mean, stuff." She tried to correct herself.

"It's alright, Essie. Embry's dad already agreed to take care of it," my mom cut in.

"Seriously?" Essie and I both replied at the same time. My mother nodded.

"And I would like you to bring Abby by to see me once a week," Josiah told Essie. "I'm the rez psychiatrist."

Jared's dad once ran his own private practice in Port Angeles but just like Joshua he felt compelled to give back to our community. He moved his practice to the reservation, but since he was really good at what he did, more than half his patients continued seeing him.

He pulled out one of his business cards and handed it over to Essie. "Perhaps we can look into alternate forms of treatment that are not so invasive."

"Thank you, Dr. Cameron." Ester mustered up a smile, it made me feel a little better knowing someone else besides my mom, Josh, and myself wanted to help Ester and her sister.

"You're welcome." He rose from the table.

"I'll take everyone home," Jake announced.

"Are you sure?" my mom asked him.

"Yeah, it's no problem." he assured her.

"I'm sorry our first meeting had to be like this," Billy told Essie. "Seeing you is like stepping into a time machine," he added nostalgically. "One thing Opal was right about was that you definitely look like the women of the Moonflower clan. I have so many albums I can share with you of your dad in his prime, along with-" Essie stunned Billy silent as she rushed past me and embraced him.

"Thank you," she murmured, kissing him on the cheek.

"Well, ahem." It took Billy some time to reign in his emotions as Essie pulled away. "I can bring them by for Sunday dinner."

"Sunday dinner?" Essie raised one brow at me.

"Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, "It's sort of a tradition; something we've been doing for the past few years. The elders, along with the majority of everyone you met at the beach, along with Bell's dad. It's at Josh's, since his place is the biggest."

"And he'll be back tomorrow," my mom added, trying to hide her excitement. Who the hell was she fooling? I cut my eyes and looked down at the floor.

"If you don't mind I would like to check on Abigail before we go," Jake's dad added. I watched Essie's expression change for delight to horror. Instantly I knew what she was thinking. Opal told the Council about Essie looking like the Moonflowers, which only meant she must have told them about Abby's rather _pale_ complexion.

"She's still resting," Essie responded hesitantly.

"I'll only be a minute," Billy replied rolling himself down the hall. As soon as he disappeared Essie looked at me totally sickened.

"Hey." I cupped her face. "It's going to be alright." Essie shook her head, as she gazed worriedly into my eyes, within seconds I had her in my arms, rubbing her back comfortingly, as if to silently assure her that everything will be okay. A few moments later, Billy returned with a slightly taken aback look on his face. Essie slowly pulled away from me and walked towards Billy.

"Billy, I can explain," Essie begin to speak, but Billy raised one hand and shook his head.

"Did Tim claim that young girl as his own?" He stared at Essie carefully.

"He did. Abigail has my father's last name, and he loved her as much as he loved me." Essie answered confidently.

"Than Abigail is as much a Moonflower as you are. No one will hear otherwise," Billy responded extending his hand out to Essie, she took it without hesitation.

"Thank you," Essie replied graciously as happy tears rolled down her face.

Leah relieved Brady soon after Jake and Bells left to take the council members home. Sue stayed behind to make sure Abby was alright. The four of us sat quietly in the guest room, waiting for Abby to wake up. Seth was sitting on the floor, leaning against the door and staring at Abby while she slept. He appeared to be deep in thought.

Essie and I were sitting on the other bed, flipping through the channels on the television. Cable television was a trip; over five hundred channels without a damn thing to watch. I huffed with frustration.

"To think," Essie groaned loudly, "I thought I was actually missing out not having cable growing up." Her head was in my lap and she'd let me stroke her hair. It was so soft and I liked to feel her shudder when I brushed the shell of her ear.

"It's totally overrated," I grumbled.

"Just a bunch of ridiculous reality shows, and mediocre comedies." Seth added, finally joining the land of the living. Poor kid still didn't take his eyes off Abby, though, as she finally stirred.

"Seth," Abby slurred groggily, prompting my pack brother to shoot up like a rocket and make his way over to her.

"I'm right here," he whispered, stroking her face. Ester sat up quickly as well making her way to the edge of the bed.

"Essie?" Abby eyes fluttered open. Seth moved out the way so Essie could get closer to her sister.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Instead of replying to Essie's question, terrible sobs escaped Abby's mouth.

"I'm…so…sorry!" Abby wailed, gripping her sister tightly. "I…tried."

"Shhh!" Essie climbed on the bed and rocked her sister. "I know you did, sweetie."

"How much damage did I do to her?" she asked her sister.

"Broken nose," Essie murmured as she caressed Abby's hair trying to sooth her sister.

"Damn it!" Abby cursed. She pulled away from Essie. "Are the other girls okay? I wasn't thinking straight."

"They're fine," Essie assured her sister. "Listen, Abby, the council members came. You have to apologize to Opal, and the rez psychiatrist wants to see you once a week."

"You told them?" Abby screeched, stumbling out of bed.

"That's just great," she continued yelling. "Now everyone is going to think I'm some crazy bitch!" Seth shook his head and made his way towards Abby with the most determined expression on his face.

"You're not crazy," Seth objected, moving even closer to Abby.

"I _am_ crazy if you knew of the things I've done to myself." Abby shook her head, backing away from Seth, but he pulled her back towards him.

"I _do_ know," he told her, raising her sleeve and slowly exposing her scars.

"Seth, no…" Abby pleaded, but stopped in mid-sentence as my pack brother leaned in and kissed one of her scars. Abby gasped in shock. It was such an intense moment between them that even I had to control my emotions to prevent letting anything out, however Essie wasn't so lucky. I guess it was too much, as she covered her mouth to keep any sound from coming out. Her tears flowed freely as I stroked her back comfortingly.

"Don't you understand, Abby? You can't get rid of me. Not now, not ever," he promised her, and suddenly I felt as if I was intruding on a very sacred moment between Seth and his mate. "I will _never_ walk away from you no matter what."

"How could you be so sure, Seth?" Abby's lips trembled. Seth glanced at me for a moment and then at Essie who stood beside me, so shockingly quiet.

"Do you mind if Abby and I speak privately, Es?" he asked.

"I don't know…" she hesitated.

"Actually," I cut in and faced Essie, looking her directly in her eyes, "there's something I need to talk to you about in private as well." Essie's eyes shifted from me to Abby and then to Seth. I could see her internal struggle as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "They won't really be alone; my mom and Sue are here."

"This can't wait, can it?" Essie replied softly, still staring at Seth and his sister.

"I thought it could, but after what you told us today, it's only fair to let you in on some secrets of my own."

**Ester POV**

Before I got in Embry's truck, he told me we were going to his father's place. An awkward silence commenced as Embry drove with both hands gripping the stirring wheel. He appeared so tense and nervous. His body language told me that whatever it was he had to tell me, it was huge. And, by the looks of it, I was leaning more towards this secret being bad than good.

My thoughts raced at all the possible secrets Embry could have: Did he have a girlfriend? Was he just playing with my emotions and suddenly felt bad when he realized how messed up my life had already been, so he wanted to come clean? No, that couldn't be it. I shook my head. If he did have someone else, Leah would have told me, right? Then again, her loyalty would probably lie more with Embry, since she and I had just met.

Embry released one of his hands from his steering wheel and took one of mine. His strange warmth always made me feel calm, but it also brought back memories of when my father was dying. His last few months, he'd get these terrible fevers and we'd end rushing him to the ER because Diane couldn't bring it down to an un-alarming temperature.

Oh. My. God. What if Embry was sick, but not in a common cold sort of way like my dad? The thought of losing him, too, made me feel sick to my stomach, and as soon as we pulled up to his father's house, I swung the door open and emptied my stomach.

"Shit, Essie!" Embry quickly got out of his truck and ran over to me. "Are you alright?" he asked, rubbing my back, his voice full of worry.

"Are you dying, Embry?" I sobbed as I wiped my mouth and rested my head between my legs so I could try to calm my dizziness. My world felt as though it was spinning out of control. "That's it, isn't it?" I exhaled rapidly. "You've got some terminal illness…" I trailed off.

"What!" Embry exclaimed, confused as hell. "Of course not, Essie. I'm probably the healthiest person you've ever met. I just run hot." I didn't believe him. He had to be lying; shit just didn't make sense.

"Then why do you always have a fever?" I demanded, finally standing up straight.

"It's not because of that, I promise. I'm not sick. That's actually a part of what I wanted to talk to you about," he told me. His eyes were so honest and because of that, I decided to believe him. "Don't tell me you hadn't noticed the rest of the guys having the same issue?" He raised one brow at me.

Shit, he was right! How could I forget? Seth was abnormally warm when we first met, and holding Jake's hand from across the table was warmer than usual as well. "This is about all of us. What I have to tell you is the same thing that Seth is telling Abby right now," he explained, taking my hand into his. "Come on, let's get you inside and get cleaned up."

~**XoXoXoXoXoXoXoX**

"Holy shit!" I cursed, walking inside Joshua's place as I took in my surroundings. "This isn't a house, it's a fucking hotel! You live here?"

"No," he shook his head, "I have my own place near the rest of the guys. I only stay here when Josh is away on business. He leaves about five times a year to handle affairs he otherwise can't through phone conferences and shit." I nodded in understanding as he led me upstairs. We stopped at the first door to our left.

"Every single one of these rooms are the same-minus Josh's, but I still like this one the most," he said, taking a key out and unlocking the door. "Same goes for the rest of the guys when we all stay here. They always stay in the same room." He opened the door, but didn't walk in. "Ladies first." He gestured with his hand.

"Yup, definitely a hotel," I muttered looking around the finely decorated room, which was able to fit an actual loveseat and a king size bed, yet still be massive enough for a table, a nightstand and a dresser; all mahogany in color.

"Josh started working on this place a couple of years ago after he regained his spot on the Council of Elders," Embry explained as he walked over to his dresser and pulled out two pairs of T-Shirts and boxer shorts, I raised one brow with curiosity staring at his choice of wardrobe. There was no way I could fit his oversized clothes. "I bought Josh's old house from him."

"Why didn't your dad just give you the house? It doesn't look like he's pressed for cash." I gestured wildly at the extravagant room.

"He offered, but I wouldn't let him," he huffed defiantly. "I don't like it when Josh gives me shit; makes me feel like he's trying to buy my love. You don't buy someone's love; you earn it. Besides, he's already done enough for me in the past few days," he mumbled. "And he won't even let me pay him back." He slammed the dresser shut. I was starting to realize Embry and I had a lot more in common than I thought. He and I both disliked being handed things, but I believed it was for different reasons. He didn't like his dad giving him money because he felt he was being bought, I didn't like being given anything, because I didn't want to be in debt to anyone. It was all about control.

"I'm going to go take a shower in Josh's room; I need to get this sand off of me. You can take one in here. There're brand new toothbrushes below the sink. I'll knock before I come in."

Within seconds, Embry was gone.

Making my way into the bathroom, I decided to mentally prepare myself for the truth that Embry had to unfold.

**A/N: Want a sneak peak of Chapter 11? Review Chapter 10 and you'll have a sneak peak in your inbox ASAP. For those of you who have been asking for a Seth/Abby companion piece to If You're Not the One, I feel totally flattered. Knowing you all love Abby as much as Essie makes me smile. With that being a said, I would be more than honored to do a Seth/Abby story for my Seth lovers. Once again thanks for reading and please do not forget to add IYNTO to your alerts and favorites. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**Be sure to check out pics of my original characters and places on my profile**

**To my lovely reviewers of Chapter Ten: **Please-and-Thankyou's; fari30; Seth's Girl 4eva ; PernFan; brankel1; MarinaNamaste; sugarishfreak; ScarletRavenwood' KendieV **and **LuverPackGirl** Hope you all enjoyed your sneak peaks of Chapter 11. Thank you all so very much for reviewing!**

**A special thanks for the following readers who added me to their favorites and alerts: **Yes I am using a typewriter; XxSafarixX **and** Canace Panther

**Chapter Eleven: Love Equals Death**

**Embry POV**

Stepping into the shower and allowing water to cascade all over me, I started thinking back to all the different ways my pack brothers told their mates about being shifters throughout the years.

For Bella and Jake, it was totally unreal. He imprinted on her after they crossed paths in some meadow when he was in wolf form. At that time, we had been tracking a leech with dreads. It turned out he was merely visiting Bella to warn her about some redhead vamp hell-bent on revenge because Edward killed her mate, James. This leech felt that a life for a life was only fair. We had plans to destroy the leech with dreads until he explained he had grown tired of killing humans and had adapted the veggie lifestyle, like the Cullens, and had fallen for another veggie vamp. The leech with dreads went by Laurent; he was a former coven mate of the redhead, and wanted to help.

Victoria wanted Laurent to give Bella a message: She was coming after her. Laurent wanted no part in it, and instead met Bella and us wolves in the meadow, explaining that he came in peace. He revealed Victoria's weaknesses and her whereabouts, which were just far off enough to mask her scent.

Our pack ambushed her with Laurent's help, and Laurent, for his help along with his new coven, the Denali's; were added to the same treaty as the Cullens.

Kim fainted when Jared phased in front of her.

Claire actually believed Quil with no demonstration needed, since his great grandfather was there and vouched for him.

Rachel found out on her own when she thought Paul had gone back to his man-whoring ways after sneaking away one too many nights when he stayed at her place. She followed him and saw him phase. Later on, Paul admitted to us that he knew Rach was following him. Damn wolf hearing.

When Collin told Bree, she demanded to see his wolf, screamed bloody murder, and then fainted just like Kim.

For Sam and Emily, things were totally fucked up. He was the first to phase and was with Leah at the time, but when he imprinted on Emily, who just so happened to be Leah's cousin, he called off their engagement and tried to tell Emily about the imprint. Emily shoved him away and called him a liar, saying that he was running away from his responsibilities just like our father did. Just the thought alone of being compared to our former deadbeat dad caused my big brother to phase; his fingers turned into claws and raked down Emily's face and right arm.

Sam actually thought he killed Emily and couldn't calm enough to phase back. Jared was able to hear him in wolf form, and contacted Paul and Sue. Being our rez nurse, she was made aware of our tribe's secrets. They managed to get Emily to the nearest hospital. To keep our secret safe, they told the doctor that a bear had mauled Emily. It took time for Sam to calm down and become human again, though he was still burned by pain. Jared kept him updated on Emily's condition, which wasn't as bad as he'd originally thought.

The next afternoon, Jared told Sam that Emily was asking for him. Sam went into Emily's hospital room and saw her face covered with bandages. They both knew that she was scarred for life. Sam asked her to tell him to kill himself so that he could escape the misery; he couldn't commit suicide without knowing for certain that this was what she wanted. But Emily had asked him to visit because she knew how horrified he would be and how unintentional his action had been. She didn't want him to blame himself for what was truly an accident. She had already forgiven him. She also had realized as she lay there in the hospital that the one person she really wanted there with her was Sam, since she felt lonely and incomplete without him.

Sam never completely forgave himself, but he put those feelings aside as much as possible to make Emily happy. Emily no longer fought her feelings. Though Leah was pissed with them, their relationship progressed easily as they found it effortless to be close both emotionally and physically.

Shutting off the water, I found myself no closer to knowing how I was going to tell Essie about our pack secret. A part of me wanted to call Seth and see how things were going between him and Abby, but I already knew if things didn't go well, I would've already been told by someone from the pack. I quickly got dressed and made my way back to the room where Essie was.

You can do this, I told myself before turning the knob and swinging the door open. Ester was sitting quietly on the bed. My basketball shorts went past her knees, while my T-Shirt looked more like a small dress on her. My scent mixed with hers was, by far, the best aroma I had ever inhaled. And even with clothes almost three times her size, she looked downright irresistible.

"You look cute." I chuckled, walking inside.

"I look like a twelve year old who stole her big brother's clothes." She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"You still look good," I told her, flopping down beside her.

"Whatever," she scoffed; trying not to smile as I playfully tugged a piece of her wet hair.

Just tell her already, Embry! The sooner we get this out there, the better…but I still couldn't speak; I was afraid it would push Essie away. I had just gotten her to drop her guard, but what if telling her who I truly was and what I was capable of doing just undid everything that was accomplished between us today? Still lost in my own mental trance, Essie broke our awkward silence. "Just tell me this; you don't have a girlfriend, or a wife…or some psycho baby's mama looming around."

"No," I assured her. "No girlfriend. No wife. Definitely no baby mama drama," I added, trying not to laugh.

"Good," Essie instantly relaxed. "Just tell me then." I took in a deep breath.

"Essie, do you remember when we were on the beach earlier and you joked about our tribe supposedly descending from wolves?" She nodded. "What exactly did your dad tell you?"

"Are you serious right now?" Essie stared at me dubiously. "You're asking me about tribe legends at a time like this?" She gestured wildly with one hand.

"I am. It sort of ties into what I have to tell you," I told Essie when she gave me a disbelieving look. "Please."

"Fine." She exhaled as she cleared her throat. "My father used to tell Abby and I that, according to Quileute legend, the spirit warriors were the first to shift from humans into wolves. Quileute population was always small, but they never disappeared since it was believed they had magic in their bloodlines." Okay, so Tim did cover the basics. After a while, Essie spoke again. "Oh, and my dad also told us about the Third Wife and her sacrifice." Now we're getting somewhere!

"Can you tell me what you remembered from that story?" I asked as I took her hand in mine.

"I remember it all; it's not a story you can easily forget," she explained, looking me directly in the eye. "Several young women from the Makah tribe started disappearing at alarming rates. It was believed that the neighboring wolves were to blame. However, all the wolves knew it was none of them because their minds were still connected with each other and the Quileute tribe. Taha Aki, the chief at the time, did not want a war, especially since he could not lead his people any longer.; Years had passed and he was a frail old man now. He gave his eldest son, Taha Wi, the responsibility of finding who was to blame. Taha Wi led five wolves in search through the mountains, looking for evidence, but they only found a strange, sweet scent. They followed it, and the journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent the two younger brothers back to inform the chief. Taha Wi and the other two never returned."

She paused for a moment, looking at me as if to make sure she was telling the story right. I nodded encouragingly so she could continue. "A year later, two Makah maidens were taken from their homes and the Makahs called upon the wolves. The Quileutes found the same sweet scent and went on the hunt once more. Only one of them returned. Yaha Uta, the eldest son of Taha Aki's third wife, returned carrying strange cold pieces of a corpse. He described what had happened to his brothers. One of them underestimated the strength of the creature and became a victim." As I continued holding Ester's hands, I allowed the words to flow freely. "Yaha Uta and his other brother were more careful, but the creature matched their movements and got his hands on one of them. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat and began tearing at him, desperately trying to save his brother. It was too late, but he succeeded in ripping his enemy apart."

Tim told Abby and Essie everything! I was pleasantly shocked by the amount of detail that he told his daughters as she went on tell me about the cold woman's revenge after the pack killed her mate, and how the third wife sacrificed herself for her tribe. I listened intently as she proceeded to finish the story. "Taha Aki's descendants no longer turned to wolves when they reached manhood. Only when a cold one was near would they return."

"What if I told you that the story of the Third Wife and her sacrifice was actually true, that Taha Aki was truly the first shape-shifter of our Quileute tribe and had passed his genes on to three families: the Blacks, the Uleys, and the Atearas." I watched Essie swallow hard.

"I would say," she shakily whispered, "that abusing psychotropic drugs makes you believe anything and can cause massive hallucinations!" Pulling her hand away from me, she shot up. "Damn it, Embry! I thought you had your shit together, but you're just as fucked up as Diane!" Essie hurriedly grabbed her clothes and her shoes.

"Essie, wait!" I reached for her, but she jerked away.

"Don't touch me!" Ester screeched. "Or I swear…I'll kick you in your fucking balls!" she threatened, marching downstairs. I followed behind her. "After I share some of the most painful shit of my life with you, you feed me this crazy Voodoo Hoodoo bullshit!" She continued ranting as she made it downstairs.

"What do I have to do to prove to you that I'm telling the truth, Essie?!" I watched the girl I love whip around.

"Turn into one right now!" she demanded.

"I can't!"

"Why not? Do you need a full moon or something?" she challenged, putting one hand on her hip.

Josh's wide hallway leading to his front door had more than ample amount of space, but I was more concerned with how Ester would react if I changed before her eyes.

"No, I don't need a full moon. It's just; we're huge, like the size of grown horses. I don't want to scare you, Essie," I pleaded with her.

"Either you change into a wolf right now, or my ass is out of it here." She leaned forward. "You didn't actually believe that with the amount of trust issues I have, I would believe you just by your word, did you?"

"Fine!" I backed up. "Don't say I didn't warn you." I told her, taking my shirt off.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Essie dropped her clothes at her feet and immediately covered her face, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I guess she wasn't ready to see me naked.

"I can't phase with my clothes on; I'll ruin them," I explained.

"Well, you're just gonna have buy a new pair of basketball shorts," she sassed. "As if you're really gonna turn into a fucking wolf anyway," she mumbled her last sentence. "Go on." She gestured with her hand. "_Phase_." It came out more like a challenge then a request, but if that's what she wanted, then that's what she'd get.

Seconds later, I was in wolf form and linked to Leah's thoughts. The first thing she saw was Essie's stunned expression.

_"Call, have you lost your fucking mind!"_ Leah exclaimed.

"She demanded to see me in wolf form," I snarled as Essie's body started to sway. "Shit, she's gonna faint!" I quickly changed back just in time to catch Essie before her head hit Josh's marble floor.

**Essie's POV**

Did I just see what I thought I saw? Did Embry just turn into a giant, sleek, gray wolf with back spots? As I tried to recall exactly what happened, I remembered I had felt myself losing my balance, but my head had never hit the ground. Embry must have caught me. I was now lying comfortably in a bed, in what I presumed was Embry's room.

"Can't believe you phased in front of her, Embry," Leah screeched, followed by a loud cracking sound.

"Ouch, Leah! Damn it! She didn't believe me; what else was I supposed to do?" Embry replied remorsefully.

"You could have called me!" That was definitely Embry's mom, and she sounded pissed. "Surely she wouldn't have thought I wasn't lying as well."

"Tiff has a point. Having both your mom and mine around really helped in convincing Abby I was telling the truth-no demonstration needed," Seth added. Okay enough of this; it's time to let them know I'm awake as I shifted a little in the bed.

"I think she's coming to." I heard my sister's concerned voice whisper. I fluttered my eyes open. "Essie!" My sister rushed over to me. "Are you okay?"

I slowly sat up and leaned against the headboard to take in my surroundings. Abby and Tiff were sitting down on the edge of the bed, while Seth and Leah were standing near the door. Embry was furthest away, standing next to the window fidgeting and looking downright guilty. I felt bad. I mean, this was my fault: I did demand for to phase—I think that's what he called it-on the spot. I didn't think he actually could! We needed to talk—now.

"I'm fine. Is it alright if I talk to Embry…alone?"

"Are you sure, Essie?" Abby eyed me carefully.

"I'm sure." I responded back. Ease up off me, well you?

"We'll be right outside." Tiffany leaned in and kissed my forehead before walking out.

"If you get pissed to the point that you wanna get violent, don't do it. We're pretty solid and you're liable to break your hand," Leah advised me. My eyes widened, slightly stunned. "Call me instead. I'll get him good." She winked at me.

"Leah, out of the room!" I heard Jake bellow from outside the room. She let out slight growl before leaving.

"You never let me have any fun, Jake!" she yelled as she slammed the door.

"Essie, could you do me a favor?" Abby stood up. "Just hear Embry through. Let him get everything out in the open before you make any rash decisions?" Out in the open? There's more?! He already turns into a big ass wolf, what else could there be? I gave Abby a quick nod as she leaned in and gave me a hug.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one who's fainted," Seth laughed. When I didn't join him, he sobered up as I folded my arms across my chest, glaring at him.

"Come on," Abby grabbed Seth by the arm and guided him out of the room. As soon as the door shut, I climbed out of the bed.

"You shouldn't do that, you just woke up," Embry recommended, making his way over to me. Just before I lost my balance, I was in his arms, being steadied by his embrace. I allowed myself to selfishly lean in against him and take in his scent. The amount of security I felt almost made me forget I just witnessed this same man turn into a wolf. "Are you alright?" he whispered into my hair.

"I wish everyone would stop asking me that," I groaned, finally pulling away. Slowly, I walked over to the sofa and took a seat. Embry joined me.

"Do you have any questions for me?" he finally asked, taking my hand into his. Why did this feel so right? Why wasn't I freaking out? I should've been afraid of him, but I wasn't.

"The legends," I started, "spoke of cold ones. It's the reason you become this." I gestured, stroking his tattoo with my free hand. "But what are the cold ones?"

"Vampires." his response rang through my ears and I felt my heartbeat began to quicken. "But contrary to popular belief, they don't burn in the sunlight, and a stake through the heart won't even break their skin," he elaborated. "The only way to truly kill them is by ripping them to shreds and burning the pieces like the legends say." For the first time in my life, I was happy I threw up earlier, because I was quite certain I wouldn't be able to hold anything in after being told some crazy, twisted shit like this.

"Who else is like you?" I managed to ask him.

"Everyone who has the tattoo." he answered. Shit, that meant Leah, too. "Jake's Alpha; he's in charge since he's a direct descendent of Taha Aki. I'm his beta. That just means I'm second in command."

"Who all knows?"

"The Council…amongst others." he sighed nervously.

"Others?" I repeated as Embry broke eye contact with me. Then I remembered Seth telling me I wasn't the only one who fainted at the news of discovering that the guys and Leah were wolves. Seth told Abby, that I was sure of, but why? Why were we trusted with such a massive secret? "Embry," I used my hand to pull his face in line with mine again, "Why did you tell me your secret?"

"Because…I imprinted on you," he shakily responded. Was I supposed to know what the hell that meant? "It's this deep, intimate phenomena that occurs when we, us shifters, see the person we're meant to be with forever. Soul mates."

Soul mate…he just called me his soul mate.

"I am unconditionally bound to you for the rest of my life, Ester."

Any other woman would feel overjoyed by such news, being bound faithfully for all time, but for me, I felt panic-stricken.

"I'll never love anyone as much as I love you, Ester. You're the one."

Suddenly all of his words started merging together, as I tried to process everything he had been telling me. My whole entire life I had been avoiding with the success the one thing I thought I could protect myself from, if I didn't get too close to someone. No love, no broken hearts, only to find out it was done all in vain. I was doomed, my inner turmoil was at its peak, I couldn't listen to anymore. I had enough.

"No!" I argued, pulling away from Embry and standing up. "No, Embry. I can't be the one." I shook my head frantically, stepping farther away from him. "I can't be your soul mate. This imprint-or whatever the hell you call it—is a mistake." I could see the rejection and hurt spread across Embry's face as he stood up. My heart ached for him and it took every ounce of my strength not to take back what I just said.

"Why?" he whispered in defeat, coming closer to me. "Why can't you be the one?"

"Because I don't want to be like my father!" I began to sob uncontrollably, fearing my demise would come sooner than expected. "I don't want to die of a broken heart!"

**A/N: Want a sneak peak of Chapter 12? You know what you gotta do my faithful readers…review Chapter 11 and a nice sneak peak will be sitting in your inbox. Please don't forget to add **_**If You're Not The One**_** to your alerts and favorites. Thanks once again for reading. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**Be sure to check out pics of my original characters and places on my profile**

**For those of you who reviewed Chapter 11, I cannot thank you all enough. I continue to remain motivated by your encouraging words. Many thanks to those of you who added If You're Not the One to your alerts and favorites!**

**Chapter Twelve**: **Loving A Heart of Stone**

**Embry POV**

Shit! Shit! Shit! I messed up. Big time. What the hell was I thinking when I phased in front Essie like that? Essie was now tucked comfortably in my bed, but fifteen minutes had passed since then and she hadn't come 'round yet.

"Does the _Kim and Bree incident_ ring any bells to you!?" Jake snarled at me as he continued pacing the floors of my bedroom. "Jared and Collin aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, I mean, shit…I sort of expected them to not go about things the right way, but you just graduated at the top of our class; I thought you would've been just a little bit smarter about this!" He pointed to Essie.

"Look, I get it, I fucked up!" I trembled. "It was a dumb move, but you have no idea how desperate I was, Jake!" I gripped my hair with frustration. "She told me I was just as fucked up as Diane!" Jake winced at my words. "She was already damn near out the door. I was afraid I was gonna lose her forever. I was at my wits' end!" I sank down against the nearest wall. I could hear Jake's hesitant footsteps approach. He slid down beside me. His hand gripped my shoulder.

"…Look, I'm sorry man," Jake replied remorsefully. "Things will work out. Once Bree and Kim got over the initial shock of things, they accepted everything else pretty well,"

"Essie is nothing like Bree or Kim. You and I know that, Jake," I grunted, finally raising my head. "Bree wanted to be loved because she never had been. Kim had been in love with Jared for years. Essie, on the other hand…shit, I don't even know." I trailed off. "I just wish I could get inside her head and find out all her secrets. At least if I knew something, I'd know how to tell her about the imprint," I admitted sadly.

Suddenly, I heard hurried footsteps climbing the stairs. Jake and I stood up. The door flung open seconds later. In walked Abby and Seth, followed by my mom who immediately sprang into action. Essie wasn't the first wolf girl who fainted. By now, for mom, it was second nature. The nurse in her immediately kicked in as she propped Essie's feet on a large pillow.

"Her vitals are fine, no sign of injuries. She should regain consciousness fairly soon," She told me after looking her over. I breathed a huge sigh of relief knowing Essie would be alright.

Seth's hands were firmly placed on Abby's shoulders as she gripped a black leather composition book. Her face was full of concern and worry, and I immediately felt terrible because I knew this was all my fault.

"Abby, I'm so sorry-" I started to say. She held up one hand, motioning me to stop, and she shook her head.

"She asked you to show her, didn't she?" Abby asked me. I nodded. "That's just like her; never believing a word anyone says." She pulled away from Seth and walked over to me. "Have you told her about the imprint yet?" I shook my head. "You're going to have your work cut out for you." She slowly pulled the composition book away from her chest and handed it to me. "Here, I marked a few pages. You should understand what you're truly up against."

I stared down at the worn-out leather journal with words stitched in old English: _Essie's Thoughts, Enter at Your Own Risk_. So here it was. All of the answers I had been searching for since the moment I laid eyes on Ester Florence Moonflower. This book; was my own personal Holy Grail. All the answers I needed, were right here in front of me. I wanted to rip it open and read every thought, every line, every poem and song. But a small part of me felt that this was wrong, that it violated Essie's right to privacy.

"Abby, I don't know if this is a good idea. These are Essie's most private, inner thoughts. Maybe I shouldn't…"

"You should," Abby urged. "Embry, if you were anyone else, I wouldn't let you. But you're her soul-mate. You could fix what's been broken for so long." I shook my head, still unsure of what I should do as I continued staring down at Essie's composition book. "She'll reject you in the beginning." My face lifted quickly at hearing Abby's admission. My heart felt as though it would cave in. Why? Why would she reject me? What happened to the girl I loved? "Her words will prepare you."

Abby was right. I needed all the help I could get. "Thanks, Abby," I finally responded, gently squeezing her hand. "You have no idea how much this means to me." Essie's sister gave me an encouraging smile before returning to Seth's side. He welcomed her with open arms. I suddenly felt a little envious of my pack brother; I could tell-just by looking at the way the two interacted-that Abby had handled the news a whole better than Essie had.

"I'm going to head downstairs," Jake announced. "I'm sure Leah will show up soon." I cringed at the thought. I already knew Leah was gonna rip me a new one for being so reckless. She had grown to like Essie in such a short period of time. The fact that Leah didn't care for many people only made her that much more loyal and protective to our small circle of friends. I pushed the thought of my future ass-kicking to the back of my mind. I really needed to focus right now on one thing, and one thing only: Essie's words. I opened the first marked page. The title alone made me wince as I read the short poem to myself.

_Love Kills_

_Love is like Anthrax;_  
_Feeds off your body from the inside out,_  
_Eating away every bit of you till there's nothing left._  
_It may seem like nothing to start, but in the End_  
_LOVE KILLS ALL_

I swallowed hard and looked up at Abby, who now had a very apologetic look on her face as she stared back at me. This is how she felt about love? Anger and sadness ran through my veins. How could someone so young have such negative thoughts about romance? And why? As much as I didn't want to read anymore, I knew I needed to. I skipped to the next marked page.

_Heart of Stone_

_A heart of stone, at times, is the only way to open your eyes in the morning. _  
_This heart of stone can protect from the hurt, lies, and deceits that are forever calling._  
_The granite face that stands against that cruel master, Father Time._  
_The granite face that shows no pain, no loss, no desperate signs._  
_This can all seem to be so safe, made numb and protected deep inside._

_To be guarded, unchanging, always the same, standing stagnant. _  
_To me, that is insane._

_And, I think I just might be_

What the hell was I going to do? Until now, I had never felt so helpless. Abby was right: I did have my work cut out for me.

"What the hell, Call?!" My head shot up to see a very pissed off Leah Clearwater standing in the doorway. "For all the intelligence you have in that brilliant mind of yours, you lack common sense!" She marched up to me. "Thanks to the shit that you, Jared, and Collin pulled, Brady and I have been Alpha-commanded by Jake not to do any more _solo demonstrations_. As if I would do something that damn stupid!" She folded her arms across her chest and continued to glare at me. If looks could kill, shit, I'd be a dead man.

"I don't need this shit from you right now, Leah," I growled as I placed Essie's composition book on the nightstand. I walked over to the window. I should have known better than to turn my back on my pack sister.

"Can't believe you phased in front of her, Embry." She smacked me upside my head.

"Ouch, Leah! Damn it! She didn't believe me! What else was I supposed to do?" I remarked as I rubbed the sore spot where Leah had hit me.

"You could have called me!" My mom hissed. This was just great; now she was pissed at me as well. "Surely she wouldn't have thought I was lying as well."

"Tiff has a point. Having both your mom and mine around really helped in convincing Abby that I was telling the truth-no demonstration needed." Why did Seth have to take sides with the women? It would have been nice to have at least one person on my side. Suddenly, Essie began to stir in bed.

"I think she's coming to," Abby whispered, full of relief. Slowly, Essie's eyes started to open "Essie!" Her sister ran to her side and hugged her. "Are you okay?"

Essie slowly sat up and began scanning the room. My mom took a seat at the edge of the bed while Seth and Leah stood by the doorway. I decided to stay by the window until I knew for sure that Essie wasn't pissed off or afraid of me. I studied her expression; there was no anger, no fear, just sheer determination. Was she ready to get rid of me like Abby said? The thought alone made me shudder with worry.

"I'm fine," Essie assured us. "Is it alright if I talk to Embry…alone?"

"Are you sure, Essie?" Abby studied her sister's face.

"I'm sure."

My mom rose from the bed. "We'll be right outside." She leaned in and kissed Essie on the forehead before walking out.

Just when I thought shit couldn't get anymore awkward, Leah went on spewing some shit about hurting me for Essie, I watched my mate's eyes widened slightly, I guess she realized Leah was like me too.

"Leah, out of the room!" I heard Jake bellow from outside. She let out a slight growl before storming out.

"You never let me have any fun, Jake!" she yelled as she slammed the door.

"Essie, could you do me a favor?" Abby stared at her sister. "Just hear Embry through. Let him get everything out in the open before you make any rash decisions?" Thank the Great Spirit for Abby Moonflower for having a little faith in me; maybe she thought I could be the one.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one who's fainted," Seth laughed. Essie wasn't amused and she folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him. Seth immediately stopped laughing.

"Come on." Abby grabbed Seth by the arm and guided him out of the room. As soon as the door shut, Essie yanked herself out of the bed too quickly and started to stagger a bit.

"You shouldn't do that, you just woke up," I told her, making my way over. Just before she lost her balance, she was in my arms. My wolf was rejoicing; I was holding my imprint, and I had never felt this complete before. It was almost overwhelming to feel such strong loving emotions for someone I just met, but was willing to do anything for. Her scent flooded my nostrils and I felt an instant wave of calmness. "Are you alright?" I managed to ask her.

"I wish everyone would stop asking me that," she moaned, finally pulling away. Instantly, I felt incomplete again as I watched Essie take a seat on the sofa. I took a seat beside her. She didn't seem afraid, so I slowly reached for her hand and placed it in mine. She didn't jerk away, either. That was a good sign, right?

"Do you have any questions for me?" I finally asked her.

"The legends," she paused, "spoke of cold ones. It's the reason you become this." She motioned, touching my tattoo. "But what are the cold ones?"

"Vampires," I uttered bitterly. "But contrary to popular belief, they don't burn in the sunlight, and a stake through the heart won't even break their skin." I went on. "The only way to truly kill them is by ripping them to shreds and burning the pieces like the legends say."

"Who else is like you?"

"Everyone who has the tattoo. Jake's Alpha he's in charge since he's a direct descendant of Taha Aki. I'm his beta. Which means, I'm second in command." I remarked.

"Who all knows?"

"The Council…amongst others." I answered, hesitantly looking away. 'This is a bad idea,' I thought to myself. Maybe telling her now isn't the best time. She may be way too fragile to handle any more surprises today.

"Others?" she repeated, dumbfounded. "Embry," I felt her hand tug on my chin, forcing me to look at her. She was so damn beautiful even when she seemed unsure of things. "Why did you tell me your secret?" Just tell her Embry, out with it.

"Because…I imprinted on you," I stammered. I watched confusion edge across Essie's face. Of course she didn't know what that meant. I guess I needed to elaborate.

"It's this deep, intimate phenomena that occurs when we, us shifters, lay eyes on the person we're meant to be with forever. Soul-mates." I watched her expression change from fear to utter dread. As much as it concerned me, I knew I had to get this out.

"I am unconditionally bound to you for the rest of my life, Ester. I'll never love anyone as much as I love you. You're the one." I honestly thought as that very moment, Essie would get sick all over again.

"No!" Essie yanked her hand out of mine and stood up. "No, Embry. I can't be the one." I expected this; Abby told me Essie would reject me. Still, the pain was great and I felt like someone just kicked me in the gut. "I can't be your soul mate. This imprint…or whatever the hell you call it—it's a mistake," she added, backing farther away from me. Her lips said one thing, but in her eyes, I saw the exact opposite. She did care for me, so why deny it?

"Why?" I managed to ask, stepping closer to her. "Why can't you be the one?"

"Because I don't want to end up like my father!" She sobbed helplessly, dropping to the floor. "I don't want to die of a broken heart!"

Before I knew it, instinct took over and I found myself on the floor, pulling Essie into my arms and holding her tightly. I wouldn't let her go unless she asked me to. My heart bled for her as her entire body shook with uncontrollable sobs.

I don't know how long we sat on that floor. It could have been a matter of minutes, it could've been a matter of hours; it didn't matter to me. All I cared about at that very moment was her.

"You make me feel safe again," she muttered after a long silence. "I haven't felt safe in a long time," Essie admitted, clinging to me. "Not since I lost my dad and Ricky." How long had it been for her? "My dad did the best he could, given the situation he was in. He fell in love with a selfish bitch who loved drugs more than her own fucking family."

There was so much anger and sadness in her voice, and it nearly broke me. "My parents met in rehab" She finally pulled away only to turn around and face me. Cupping her face, I wiped her tears away with my thumbs "My dad would always try to make excuses for my mom by telling us it wasn't her fault she was like this…but whose fault could it be then?" She shrugged indifferently. "Diane betrayed my dad in every way imaginable, but he just kept forgiving and taking her back over and over and over again." Essie huffed angrily. "He was so addicted to loving and pleasing her that he let his body give out on him."

I felt my emotions getting the best of me; I felt so bad her. What she must have witnessed growing up sounded heartbreaking.

"My dad was diagnosed with colon cancer when I was nine, and he died one day after my tenth birthday." Essie shut her eyes tightly. "My dad spent so many years fighting for Diane and loving her that he had no fight left in him for himself once he got diagnosed."

At that very moment, I had no idea which one of Essie's parents I was more pissed off at: Diane, for not caring enough about her family to stay clean, or Tim, for not having enough willpower to pack up with his daughters and leave Diane.

"The doctors didn't understand why he kept clinging on, but I believe he fought to stay alive because he didn't want to die on my birthday," she whispered sadly. "Not that one day made much of a difference." She sighed. "Haven't really celebrated a birthday since," she confessed.

It was worse than I thought. She couldn't even find joy on her birthday! "The day I buried my father, I told myself I would never allow my heart to get so foolishly wrapped up in loving someone to a point where I'd lose sight of myself like my dad did."

No wonder she had rejected me. If I was in Essie's shoes and had gone through all the shit she had, I might have rejected me, too.

"After my dad died, Diane was sober for a bit. She was like…_a real mom_. She took care of me and Abby-even got a job for a while. She was loving and sweet. She'd read us bedtime stories, made dinner, and helped us with our homework. She was great." Her voice cracked. "That lasted for about four months." She shifted as I took both her hands into mine.

"My mom wasn't close to her family; she never talked about her parents or what her life was like growing up as a kid. I can only assume it must have been pretty shitty, considering the fact that she never even told us her maiden name." Essie appeared deep in thought as if trying to recall whether her mother had. Finally, she shook her head. Well, I guess not. "I guessed that was why we rarely got any visitors. But one day, there was this really handsome young guy standing on our front porch with my mother's smile staring back at me." Her lips curled up slightly, but there was still so much sadness in her eyes.

"Ricky was our long lost brother. Diane had him when she was Abby's age. She wasn't even old enough to drive. The most selfless act my mother ever committed in her miserable life, was giving Ricky up for adoption. He had a chance at a better life and from he told us his adoptive parents; he did. Having Ricky around was really great, ya know? I thought to myself, 'Finally!'" she laughed a little, "'my mom's clean and now Abby and I have the brother we always wanted!' And he really was, Embry," a strangled sob escaped her before she continued. "He really was the brother I always wanted. Ricky was amazing, he fit in with Abby and me as if we had all grown up together." Essie slowly pulled her hands out of mine only to drop her face into them.

"I should have known better," she croaked from behind her hands. She lifted her head and her tone hardened, "I should have known it was all too good to be true." Essie's hands ran wildly through her hair.

"Ricky spent a whole week with us. That following Monday morning, I woke up to see my mom and Ricky talking outside. I was standing at the front window. They didn't see me." She shook her head. "Even at ten, I knew that whatever it was they were talking about had to be serious and not good. I will never forget the devastation that spread all over Ricky's face." She shuddered.

"Instead of coming back inside, my brother made a beeline for his car and drove off. I never saw him again and that night, my mom relapsed. She was gone for_ two whole weeks_, and I was left all alone to look after Abby. It's the longest she ever left us." She whispered sadly.

Essie was only ten years old and that bitch left her alone to fend for herself and Abby? How could she do something so irresponsible? My body trembled with anger. I had to take a few deep breaths to get my emotions in check.

"Essie…I am so sorry you went through all of that. I can't even begin to imagine how overwhelming that must have been for you. Losing both your father and brother within months of each other," I told her sadly stroking her arm.

"I just want to know why." Essie looked up at me so broken. All I wanted to do was fix it. Fix her. Fix everything. "Why didn't my dad love us enough to take us away from Diane? Why did Ricky abandon us like that? Why?" She began to rock herself forward and then backwards as she slowly unraveled before my very eyes once more. "Why did my dad love her more than us?" she cried out, and I immediately took her back into my arms. "Why, Embry?" She sobbed against me. "WHY!" She hiccupped. "Why weren't we enough?"

I lifted Essie into my arms and carried her to the bed. As Essie continued crying I held her close, silently hoping and praying that I'd never meet Diane Moonflower. For her sake, as well as mine.

**Author's Note: Want a sneak peak of Chapter 13? Review Chapter 12 and you'll have one sitting in your inbox by Sunday, night. Once again thanks everyone for reading. The next few chapters will be a little angst-filled, but I promise you all a Happily Ever After, certain truths must be told first and everyone knows, sometimes the truth hurts… **

**Heart of Stone: Written by David Daykin **

**Love Kills: Written by Xanadu Trevino. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**Be sure to check out pics of my original characters and places on my profile, Joshua's PI will be making his first appearance. Check him out. **

**For those of you who reviewed Chapter 12, thank you so very much, I am so thrilled about this story and I cannot stop writing, I believe it has a lot to do with all of you showing my story so much love, so please keep it up. **

**Many thanks to those of you who added If You're Not the One to your alerts and favorites!**

**Chapter Thirteen: Confessions &amp; Revelations **

**Essie's POV**

I never really allowed myself to do this. When my father died, I was so damn angry with him for leaving us, that I couldn't bring myself to shed one tear. When Ricky took off, once again, my eyes remained dry. Tonight, I finally mourned the death of my father and cried over the disappearance of my big brother.

Now that Embry knew how fucked up I was, imprint or not, I knew he wouldn't want anything to do with me. He was just too flawless. So perfect that he had even been chosen to protect our tribe. What had I been chosen for? Nothing great. Nothing worth being proud of. Even if Embry did still want me, I was totally inexperienced when it came to loving someone in the way he so rightfully deserved. Maybe if I understood imprinting better, I could decide if I was ready to handle this.

"Embry?"

"Yes, Essie?" Embry softly caressed my back.

"Tell me about the others who imprinted."

For the next hour or so, Embry told me every single imprint story in great detail, saving the most difficult for last. Emily, Leah, and Sam. My heart grew tight as the anger built within my chest.

"So imprinting even has the power to make a man stop loving his own fiancée and start loving someone else—just because his wolf feels she's a better choice?" Leah's heartbreak had been worse than I thought.

"Sam still loves Leah," Embry explained. "But he loves Emily more," he added. "For a long time, I was pissed about the whole thing. A part of me will always favor Leah over Emily, but the more I think about things, the more I realize that it's probably only because I knew Leah first." Embry admitted, sounding guilty.

"In all honesty, Emily is a better fit for Sam. But don't get it twisted: I do believe if the leeches never came around and we all stayed the same, Sam and Leah would've lived happily ever after…_most of the time_." Embry shifted a little underneath me. "Sam and Leah are both very stubborn, and are huge hot heads."

I didn't really know Sam that well, I mean he was nice enough, but I knew Leah; she was tough as nails. Her being a hot head didn't come to me as much of a shock.

"When it came to arguments, Sam and Leah could stay pissed at one another for weeks because neither one of them ever wanted to be the bigger person and apologize. Eventually, they would just go back to talking again, but without really resolving their shit, and a few months later, they would have the same damn disagreement. For Sam and Emily, it's different. They have disagreements, hell, even arguments, but they work shit out by talking it through."

"If you ask me, I still think that Leah got the short end of the stick," I chipped in. Embry just nodded and continued.

"As much as Leah hates the idea of imprinting because of the heartache and pain it's caused her, I hope she does. She deserves love just as much as the rest of us." The conversation Leah and I had the night Seth took off and Embry went after him played in my head. I asked Leah if she would ever love someone again. Her response; _'only against my own will._' Leah had been referring to imprinting.

"How do you feel about all of this?" Embry finally asked me gesturing towards us.

"I don't know how to do this, Embry. I don't know how to love you the way you deserve." I confessed to him finally, still holding on tightly. "Especially someone as great and perfect as you."

"Essie," Embry huffed with frustration, "You think too much of me. I'm not perfect. Hell, I don't even think I'm that great." He squeezed me back. "There's something you should know about me. I did something—something terrible." He stayed quiet for a while before speaking again. "After you hear what I've done, you can decide for yourself if you think I'm still perfect."

Okay, what was it? Was I prepared to hear this? He must have seen me hesitate because he added, "It's about my dad."

I raised my head from his chest to meet his eyes. They seemed nervous and slightly unsure.

"Do you remember when I told you that others were in on the pack secret?" I nodded slowly. "The only other people besides the council elders that are supposed to know anything about us are just our imprints. No one else. However, my mom knows everything."

"Why?" What entitled Embry's mom to knowing such a secret?

"I let my anger get the best of me one night," he finally replied. "It happened two years ago. I'd just gotten off patrol and I was already pissed because I lost track of some nomad leech we had been after for a whole week. I had plans to go to some party with Jake and Bells, but after having such a shitty night, I decided to go straight home."

It was pretty late by the time I got home and I was surprised to see Josh's car parked in our driveway." He swallowed audibly and went on, "What I saw..." Embry's voice came out unsteadily. I held him a little tighter to let him know that I was there for him-just like he had been for me.

"What I saw when I opened that front door was just too much. My parents…they were…_together_." I already knew all about this. Tiffany had told me about Embry walking in on his parents. "I was just so mad, Essie. Josh doesn't deserve the love of someone else, especially my mom. He walked out on her when she was pregnant with me. How could she still love him after that?"

I felt so bad for the man I loved. Retelling such a traumatic event isn't easy. He was shaking like a leaf, and his body felt warmer than usual. Was this something that happened when they were about to phase?

"I couldn't keep my shit together; I saw Josh in my line of vision and I just…lost it. I phased right before my mom's eyes and attacked my own father." I could hear the guilt and emotional pain in his voice. "Sue was able to save him, but he'll have scars for the rest of his life-scars _I_ put there." I could feel Embry's entire body start to tremble underneath me once again.

Suddenly I felt the urge; no, the need, to help him, like he helped me. I sat up and pulled him closer to me, instantly his body began to relax. Although I was totally thrown for a loop by Embry's confession, I still couldn't bring myself to be afraid of him. Was that a part of the imprint? "My dad forgave me right away for what I did, but still, I'm mad at him."

I couldn't believe the next words that came out of my mouth. "You say you made peace with your dad, but it's obvious that you haven't. You need to forgive him."

"How can I...?" Embry objected.

"Just listen, Embry," I interlocked my hand with his. "He came back." I looked deep into those amazing, albeit sad chestnut eyes of his. "Your dad came back." I repeated with more emphasis. "For the past eight years, he's been trying to make things right. That's more than what I can say about my mom. She couldn't stay clean for five fucking minutes," I said bitterly. "Your mom isn't in love with the guy who left her. I believe your mom stopped loving _that_ person a long time ago. I believe she fell in love with the new Josh. The man he's become. The father he wants to be now."

Embry seemed thoughtful for a minute. "...I can work on forgiving Josh," he finally replied, and I smiled at him. "Do you think you can ever make peace with your dad?" My smile faded.

"My dad's dead. End of story," I told him. "You can't make peace with the dead."

"I think you can, Essie," Embry sighed.

"How?" How the hell could I do that?

"You could start by letting me love you." He still wanted me? His declaration alone sent my heart into frenzy.

"What about Diane? Do I have to forgive her, too?" Because I didn't think I could.

She really made my life a living hell.

"No." Embry shook his head. "Not yet, at least."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't forgive her either," he whispered. "What she put you and Abby through…" he trailed off taking a deep breath.

"She turned you into a mom when you were just a kid yourself. Your life should be filled with happy memories, and it's not. If I can't bring myself to forgive your mom, I damn sure as hell ain't gonna make you do it."

"Thank you..." I sobbed, hugging him. He understood me. Maybe imprinting didn't make mistakes.

"So will you let me love you?" Embry murmured once more.

I lifted my head to meet Embry's gaze. There was so much love and adoration there, I thought I would burst. "Only if I get to love you back." I heard myself respond, leaning towards his lips.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." He replied before placing his lips on mine. His strong arms pulled me as close as he possibly could, but still it didn't feel close enough. I felt his hands gently sweeping my back in the most comforting way. His soft lips took control. I could feel his confidence in us shining through in that very moment and I finally, truly realized how much he cared. I realized how much I really wanted this; how much I really wanted him.

And, for the first time since I laid eyes on Embry Call, I was no longer afraid. The rest of the night was spent pretty much that way. Sweet, endearing kisses until I could no longer keep my eyes open. We fell asleep in one another's arms. Yeah, it was official. I was falling in love.

**Embry POV**

I guess you could say I was one happy wolf! Essie was actually giving us a chance. Waking up the next morning, with Essie still resting in my arms, made my heart do somersaults. For the first time since I laid eyes on her, she actually looked peaceful. No conflict or uncertainty, just peace. As much as I wanted to continue marveling at this beautiful woman in my arms, I really had to piss, so I gently loosened my grasp and laid Essie down on the pillow next to me. She didn't even stir. After relieving myself, I walked back into my bedroom and took a glance out of the window. Instead of seeing Jake's new SUV parked out front, like I expected, I found my dad's Dodge Charger, along with another car I had never seen before. Shit, when did he get back?

I took one more glance at Essie before shutting the door behind me, only to find Seth standing leisurely in my dad's hallway grinning like the fool he was.

"Hey man, where's Jake?" I asked as we started walking downstairs ignoring the stupid look on his face.

"He took off last night. Leah left, too, after Jake ordered her out of the room, but she came back about three hours ago; she's sleeping in her usual room at end of the hall." Seth nodded his chin down the long hallway. "Abby's still sleeping in, my room." Seth sounded totally content with that, and I was happy for him. "We heard everything Essie told you last night about her life with Diane." He added, sounding a little less cheerful.

I heaved a long sigh, thinking back to everything Essie shared with me last night. It was a lot to take in, but I didn't want to dwell on the sad shit. Essie was finally showing some progress when it came to us and that's all that really mattered to me at the moment. "But the bright side is that Essie's giving me a chance."

"Yeah, she is." Seth recovered quickly. "I'm really happy for you, bro."

"You, too. I could tell last night that Abby seemed to be on board with everything." I watched my pack brother grin widely and simply nod. "So, when did Josh get here?"

"About an hour ago. That's why I came back upstairs; he's in his office with that private eye of his. He says he has to talk to both of us." We made it to the bottom of the stairs. "Quest found Ricky," Seth added. That fast? This is great, right? But based on Seth's uneasy expression, something had to be wrong.

"What are you not telling me?" I demanded, looking at my pack brother suspiciously.

"Your dad hasn't said a thing yet-except for the fact that he found him, but the news doesn't look good just based on his body language," my pack brother replied as we walked towards my dad's office.

Shit, what if Ricky was in trouble, or sick? This is not the type of news I was expecting to give Essie. I just wanted her to have her brother back.

As I swung open the door, I was caught a little off-guard. Josh was sitting down at his desk while another guy sat idly in his leather recliner. They both rose at the same time.

"Embry," my dad nodded towards the unnamed man, "I would like you meet Shawn Quest, my private eye." I walked over and shook his hand.

Shawn Quest was nothing like I imagined. For some reason I had expected Quest to be in his late 50's, white, wearing cowboy boots and a hat, 'cause that's how they all looked on TV. But Quest looked nothing like those guys. First off, he was a very built, light-skinned black dude, who couldn't be any older than forty. He was wearing one of those black shirts guys wore to show off their muscles, blue jeans, and black combat boots.

"How's it going?" he asked me. He was holding a large briefcase.

"I don't know yet," I answered honestly. "It depends on what it is you have to tell me in the next five minutes," I added, looking over at Seth, who eyed Quest carefully.

"I think we should take this down to the entertainment room," Josh announced. "I could really use a drink." He exhaled.

Drinking at 9AM? Yeah, this wasn't good.

**WARNING: DISCUSSIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, BUT NOT THE ACTUAL ACT, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

Quest and Josh stood behind the bar while Seth and I took seats across from them. Josh grabbed four shot glasses.

"We're underage," Seth spoke up, completely shocked by my dad's actions.

"I'm no idiot, Seth. I know you guys raid my liquor cabinets when I'm gone on business," My dad told him with a sly grin. "I also know about the wild parties you guys throw here." I'm so busted! "Besides, trust me," Josh walked over to the one cabinet he kept locked at all times; it displayed his more expensive rare liquors, "You'll need this."

He pulled out a bottle of Balkan 176, 176-proof vodka made in Bulgaria. That shit wasn't even legal in the U.S.! Of course Josh would have some, considering his many connections and Bulgarian clients. This drink could really knock the average guy on his ass—it came with 15 warnings, including one in Braille, about the dangers of drunk driving, alcohol poisoning, and drinking while pregnant. And for us shifters, it could give us a nice, short-lived buzz. Oh yeah, this was bad, very bad.

My dad poured an even amount in each shot glass. We all clinked our glasses together and tossed the shot back. Josh and Quest's faces both contorted into very uncomfortable expressions, followed by them hissing loudly. Seth coughed a few times and I tried to keep it together as the drink burned my insides going down.

"That stuff is horrible!" Seth rasped, slamming his shot glass down.

"Yeah, it is," my dad croaked, pouring all four of us another shot.

"So what's this about?" I managed to finally ask. "Seth says you found Ricky."

"Amongst other things," Quest grated, still trying to get his shit together from that nasty shot we took. He placed his briefcase on the counter and opened it. He pulled out what looked like a novel and handed it to me.

"_Facing Evil_ by Richard D. Faust." I looked up at Quest, a little confused. Who the hell is this? "I don't understand," I muttered, shifting my eyes to my dad. And why the hell did the last name 'Faust' sound familiar?

"Facing Evil was one of the most critically acclaimed true crime novels. Richard D. Faust was granted the permission to interview the most notorious serial killer known to mankind the eve of his execution." Quest rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a mug shot that looked more like a fucking Hollywood headshot. A mug shot that, every single person living knew of.

"The Belial Stalker," Seth uttered, staring down at the infamous picture.

"That's right. His real name was Aden West. West was given the name Belial after one of the most important and evil demons, which was known to be deceptively beautiful in appearance, soft in voice, but full of treachery, recklessness, and lies. It was how he was able to get close to his victims," Quest explained. "172 murders had been pinned on him during his ten year killing spree, but thanks to Richard Faust, it was discovered that the number of his victims was much greater."

I shook my head, staring down at the good-looking man with ice-cold green eyes. "His victims were young girls between the ages of 11 and 16 years of age. He's also known as one of the only serial killers who raped and murdered in six of our seven continents." I felt myself grow sick just by looking at the mug shot of this twisted bastard. I put it down, but not before flipping it over.

"Are you still with us, Embry?" I looked up to see my dad's concerned eyes looking back at me. I grabbed my second shot and swallowed it whole.

"Go on," I whispered.

"Usually, West would spend a great deal of time stalking his victims. He'd learn their schedules, find out when they were home alone, what times they went to school. It was how he never got caught. He would then kidnap, rape, and torture them for weeks… "

"Please spare us the details," Seth cut in, "we already know what that sick bastard did." It was no secret; everyone had heard of Aden West and the vile things he did to those poor little girls. There was no need to go into detail about it.

"Yeah," I agreed with Seth. Even though the terror of the Belial Stalker was many years ago, it would never be forgotten. He rotted on death row for the next nineteen years before his execution.

"His last victim survived. She played dead while he dumped her body in the woods, somewhere in Vegas. She managed to crawl to the nearest freeway." Quest went on, "since the girl was a minor, her name was never released to the public. Even during her testimony, which detailed the disgusting things she endured during her time in captivity, everything was prerecorded and her voice had been altered so no one could tell who she really was. It didn't matter either way. The evidence they had on him was ironclad. Aden West's case never went to trial, he ended up pleading guilty."

"What does this have to do with Ricky?" I asked.

"Everything," Quest replied. "The young girl's name was Imogen Faust, her parents are _Judge_ and Mrs. Michael Faust."

"Judge…Faust? As in our retired Judge Faust of Forks, Washington?" Seth exclaimed, shocked.

"How did you get this information?" I demanded, staring at Quest.

"Let's just say I know a guy, who knows a guy, who happened to be one of the original lead investigators over twenty-some odd years ago. He's retired now, but still keeps very pristine copies of everything from the testimony of Imogen to other information that was never made public."

"Like what?" Seth asked.

"Imogen got pregnant by West during her captivity. She gave the child up for adoption." I could hardly believe what Quest was actually telling me. The wheels in my head were starting to turn. It couldn't be, could it?

"Judge Faust and his wife moved to Forks, Washington, after everything happened to their daughter Imogen. None of us knew a damn thing about her past." I looked up at my dad, totally shocked by his admission.

"You knew her?!" I glared at him, and my dad nodded.

"Imogen spent a lot of time in La Push," My dad revealed. "I should have put two and two together." He shook his head. "When Quest told me that Richard had changed his name to Faust, it all made sense. Back then, Imogen was a wild child. She got into a lot of trouble and got heavy into drugs. Her parents forced her into an outpatient treatment program. That's where she met Florence Moonflower." My dad ran his hand nervously through his hair. "Tim fell hard for his sister's new best friend. He said he would never love another girl the same way he loved Imogen. Then I left and I never found out what happened between Tim and Imogen."

"I still don't get it," Seth shook his head in confusion, "If Tim had a thing for this Imogen girl, how could he just move on to Diane?" Seth was still lost, but I wasn't.

"She must've changed her name, didn't she?" I spoke up, staring at Quest as he pulled out another sheet of paper.

"This was the original birth certificate of Ricky Desmond." He handed it to Seth. "Read who the birth mother is."

Seth's eyes grew wide as he read the name out loud, "Imogen _Diane _Faust."

"She must have started going by her middle name once she left Forks," My dad murmured.

"No!" I shook my head, this isn't right. "Essie told me her dad met her mom in rehab. She wouldn't lie to me!" I argued.

"Unless her parents lied to her," my dad countered. "I know Imogen is a real piece of work, but look what happened to her, son. She was kidnapped, raped, and tortured for three long excruciating weeks. She got pregnant by her rapist." For the first time since I heard the name Diane Moonflower, a twinge of pity shot through me.

"Imogen is Diane. Richard D. Faust is Ricky Desmond," Quest went on. "He was the product of rape." The wheels in my head were spinning faster than a Venom GT.

Could that have been what Diane told Ricky that night he took off? Is that why he was devastated? "That is why Aden granted Richard with an interview before he was executed. He wanted to meet his son. It's a little twisted if you ask me." My dad's private eye shook his head.

"None of this was ever mentioned in his crime novel. At the time of that interview with West, Richard Faust was an journalism major at Stanford. Crime readers just assumed that the kid got a lucky break. From then on, Richard D. Faust has published several other crime novels. He gets interviews with killers that other journalists are desperate to have. If the public had all the bits and pieces, it would have been easy to figure out."

"Ricky was adopted by Caroline and Daniel Desmond; business colleagues of Imogen's parents. That way, Imogen's parents could still have a close relationship with Ricky. And they do. Michael and his wife spent their summers in the Hamptons with Ricky ever since he was seven years old. After Ricky turned sixteen, he started spending his summers in Forks with the Faust's, however he's maintained a very low profile." My ears were ringing with all the information.

"Embry?" My face shot up to see my dad staring at me cautiously. "Ricky is here…in Forks, right now." Quest handed me a sheet of paper with a phone number on it. "It's Ricky's number."

I dialed it without hesitation.

**A/N: Ricky is alive! We'll find out why he left in the next chapter. Who wants a sneak peak? You know what you gotta do...Thanks once again for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**For those of you who reviewed Chapter 13, I hope you enjoyed that extra long sneak peak, thanks once again for showing my story so much love.**

**Many thanks to those of you who added If You're Not the One to your alerts and favorites!**

****** Essie, Abby, Seth, and Embry's a few other's outfits for this Chapter is up on my profile under Sunday Dinner ******

**Chapter Fourteen**: **The Big Surprise…**

**Essie POV**

When I lived with Diane, I constantly felt unsafe. A peaceful night's sleep didn't come easily. The neighborhoods Abby and I stayed in were flooded with crime, and it always took the cops an extended period of time to show up, if they were even called after a crime took place. Sleeping in Embry's strong massive arms was totally different. When I was with him, I felt like nothing bad could ever touch me.

"Wakey, wakey sissy." I could feel Abby's index finger playfully tapping my nose. It's something she's always done and something I've always found a little annoying.

"No," I exhaustedly groaned. "Five more minutes." I squeezed my eyes tighter, hoping I could fall back into the best rest I'd ever had.

Speaking of Embry's strong massive arms, where the hell were they? I snapped my eyes open, only to find my sister's beautiful face smiling back at me from Embry's spot. She unfolded a piece of paper and began reading it to herself.

"What's that?" I gestured at the note.

"A letter Embry left for you on the nightstand," Abby replied nonchalantly, as she continued reading.

"Nosey!" I admonished, snatching the letter from her. I wanted to read it for myself.

_Hey Beautiful,_

_You looked so peaceful sleeping that I just couldn't bring myself to wake you. I did steal a kiss or two. I have a few things I need to take care of before Sunday dinner. I'll be counting down the minutes until I have you in my arms again._

_Miss You Already,_

_Embry_

I smiled to myself as I sat up. Scanning the room, I finally noticed Embry's mom smiling at me happily, sitting on the edge of the bed while Leah and Bree remained standing.

"What's going on?" I eyed them all suspiciously.

"Embry and Seth have a surprise for us!" Abby all but squealed as she hopped off the bed. "They're bringing it to Sunday dinner."

"Okay…" I replied uncertainly. I wasn't really too big on surprises. The unknown freaked me out.

"We're going shopping in Port Angeles. Seth and Embry want you two to look your best." Tiffany replied, as she grinned at me. "Embry said you two worked things out last night?" I nodded once, unable to prevent a grin from spreading across my face. "That's wonderful!" Embry's mom extended her hand towards mine and squeezed it gently before rising.

"We're gonna stop and get some lunch, too," Bree added. I stared at Collin's imprint curiously. I could understand why Leah was here; she and I got along. I lived with Tiff, and she was Embry's mom. But, why Bree? I mean, she seemed cool enough, but I was sure she would much rather be doing something else with her free time.

Bree must've realized what I was wondering, as she pivoted her weight on one foot nervously and then cleared her throat. "Embry and Seth want you and Abby to get to know all of us girls. We only really have each other to truly be ourselves with. They figured I should to be the one to hang out with you two first, considering the fact that we sort of grew up in similar shitty situations." Ain't that the truth.

Last night, Embry told me about Bree's life before she met Riley and the pack. I already knew just based on how she reacted to what I told everyone—that she had been through some pretty messed up stuff herself.

"Sounds like a plan." I smiled at her. Bree relaxed instantly.

"Can we eat first?" Leah finally griped, putting one hand on her hip. "I'm starving," she groaned. "I can't believe Seth didn't wake me up for breakfast."

"Lunch?" I repeated. How late had I slept in?

"Yeah, it's already almost eleven," Embry's mom replied. "I brought you some of your clothes from my place." She pointed to a small overnight bag sitting on the sofa. "Get showered and dressed. We'll be downstairs."

About an hour later, we were all loaded in Bree's Ford Escape. We decided to stop somewhere and eat first. Apparently, wolves were in better moods on full stomachs and since Leah could already be a little moody, we figured that feeding her was imperative.

Once we got to Port Angeles, we stopped at a place called Kokopelli Bar and Grille because Abby really wanted seafood, and Leah said their food was pretty good. I sat next to Leah, while Abby, Bree and Tiff sat across from us. Our waiter, Hector, was totally smitten with Leah from the moment she sat down. I think he fell in love when she ordered.

"Let me get the crab cakes to start off, and your soup of the day. I really don't care what it is," she flipped through the menu quickly, "and I'll have Pasta La Casa, followed by the Kokopelli cheeseburger, extra pickles with everything on it and…" she handed Hector back the menu, "a diet coke to drink." Followed by a wink.

"I love a woman who isn't afraid to eat real food," Hector commented as he took the menu. I couldn't help but laugh; poor Hector just couldn't take his eyes off Leah—until Tiff cleared her throat.

"I'll just have the house salad and water," she grinned at him.

"The crab cakes actually sound really good, Leah." Abby stared at her menu. "I'll have that and a Pepsi."

"Fish and chips with a water," Bree remarked. "No ice."

"And I'll have the Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad," I finally ordered, "with a coke."

"Well, I will be back soon with your drinks and your crab cakes." Hector gave Leah one more admiring gaze before walking away.

"Damn, Leah," I laughed, "you should put that guy out of his misery and give him your number."

"Yeah, he was so cute; he reminds me of Diego." Bree took a quick glance at Hector, who was getting our drinks together some distance away. "But in a totally more macho and straight sort of way," she added, making our whole table laugh, minus Leah. She appeared a little uncomfortable and perhaps even mad, which made us stop laughing.

"He's cute and all," Leah said as she played with her napkin, taking a look at Hector, who grinned at her before getting back to work. "But what's the point? He's not my imprint," she muttered dejectedly. I hadn't thought about that before. Why would Leah even want to date if there was a chance that she could do to someone what Sam had done to her? That must totally suck.

"Do you even want to imprint? Because I was under the impression that you weren't too excited about the idea," I asked, just as Hector returned with our drinks, along with Abby and Leah's crab cakes.

"The rest of your food should be out shortly. If you ladies need anything else, don't hesitate to let me know." Once again, Hector was only looking at Leah.

"We sure will," Tiff cut in with a smile. Once Hector was gone, we picked back up where we left off.

"I don't mind imprinting. I just don't want it to be a stranger," Leah finally answered. "No offense to you chicks," she added, looking at Bree, Abby, and me. "It's just," she sighed heavily, "I want to," She shut her eyes briefly, "no," Leah shook her head, "I _need_ to have known them first."

"Why?" Abby asked. "What's the difference between them being some next door neighbor you knew all your life, versus some random stranger you bump into on the sidewalk? It's an imprint. Period."

"Everything," Leah declared. "I have to know if I felt something for that person beforehand," she explained. "Jared had classes with Kim for years. _Year_s!" she repeated. "And he never so much as even looked in her direction, but then he phases and now suddenly, the sun sets and rises on her ass." A small snarl escaped her mouth as she stabbed her crab cake.

"Leah," Bree uttered as our she-wolf glanced up from her plate, "from what Collin told me, Jared never noticed _any_ girls. He was always more focused on wood shop, sports, and other shit. Had it not been for all of those distractions, I think he would have noticed Kim early on. I mean, Paul used to always think Rachel was so beautiful before the imprint even took place."

"That's right," Tiff agreed, "And don't even get us started on Bella and Jake." Both Bree and Embry's mom groaned playfully. Abby and I laughed. "I remember as a child how he followed Bella everywhere. They were so perfect for one another, even back then. He was so devastated when Charlie and Rene divorced and he found out that Bella was leaving." She shook her head and frowned just as Hector returned with our food. Everything looked so good as he handed each of us our plates, paying particular attention to Leah, still. We immediately dug in.

"Hey, Leah?" She lifted her head from her plate to look at me. "Why do you like me?" Seth's sister tilted her head and raised one brow at me. "It's just from what Embry told me; you don't warm up to folks easily."

"That's an understatement," Bree smirked. "She downright hates everyone in the beginning."

"So what makes us so different?" I nodded towards my sister, Abby.

"It's the imprint bond," Tiffany said out loud. All three of us stared at her in confusion.

"I haven't imprinted, Essie!" Leah whispered loudly. "I mean, you're cute and all chick, and if I was a lesbian you'd so be my type, but don't let the whole tomboy look fool you: I like penis, thank you very much!" She was a little louder this time, and a group of younger guys a table or two across from us began chuckling. "What the hell are ya'll laughing at?" She demanded, glaring at them. The guys immediately stopped and went back to eating their food. After a few minutes, Leah leaned forward. "What the heck are you going on about, Tiff, with this imprint bond?"

"I'm talking about Seth and Abby," Embry's mom explained. Just at hearing his name, my sister's cheeks blushed ridiculously and her smile widened.

"What does that have to do with me?" Leah asked, looking over at Abby for a moment and then back at Tiff.

"Just hear me out. Bree and Riley are siblings. Who is Riley closest to out of all the pack members?"

"Collin," Leah replied.

"That's right," she agreed. "Rachel adores Diego. Paul and Diego are very close. Paul and Jake have an awesome bond as well. It's come to my attention that imprinting doesn't just effect the imprinter and imprintee, it effects everyone else who is close to the imprinter and imprintee." Imprinting was that strong? "In Quileute pack history, there have never been sibling shifters. Now we have two. You and Seth. Embry and Sam."

"There weren't any girls, either." Leah growled, taking a bite of her food.

"You were already so close to your brother before the two of you phased, and even closer afterwards." Leah stopped eating and finally looked up at Tiffany. "Leah, you took to Abby because she was with Seth. I believe Seth and Essie will become close as well because she's Abby sister. Just like I believe Sam will be very close to Essie, since Embry is his brother. You became friends so easily with Abby and Essie because of Seth."

Leah leaned back in her seat. It appeared that she was allowing Tiffany's words to sink in as the thoughtful expression on her face shined through. "You feel that bond, too, don't you, Leah?"

"I'll admit," Leah took a long sigh, "that I do feel more protective of Abby." She stared at my sister, and then shifted her eyes towards me, "But I feel protective of you, too. I guess it all makes sense." Leah finally turned her focus back to Tiffany. "Have you talked to the Council about this?"

"Yes, it's actually what we were discussing when Opal Shadow stormed into our council meeting with her parents yesterday." Tiffany answered as my little sister exhaled loudly, placing her fork on the table.

Her face was filled with remorse. "I can't believe I broke her nose."

"It's alright, Abby," Embry's mom comforted my sister by gently rubbing her back. "Although I don't condone violence, I understand that sometimes a person's anger can get the best of them." No doubt that she must have been referring to the whole Joshua/Embry incident. "You're a good person, Abby. Always remember that."

A small smile spread across my sister's face, and suddenly I found myself wishing that Diane could have been more like Tiffany. Nurturing, caring. Life would have been so different for us. "Alright, ladies; let's finish eating so we can get shopping."

Bree was pretty cool. She didn't talk much; she was a better listener, which was fine, since Abby was like a radio: she never stopped. But when Bree did speak, she gave great fashion advice, and could sniff out a deal like a bloodhound tracks a deer. She found the perfect navy blue flared skirt for Abby. It was under twelve bucks. Although Tiffany was funding this whole thing, I still didn't want her spending a ridiculous amount of money on us.

We split up to find shoes. Abby went with Bree, while Tiff, Leah, and I stayed with each other.

After finding the perfect outfits, Abby, Tiffany, and I headed back to her place. I found out that Claire, Kim, Abby, and I were hanging out tomorrow, which I was pretty excited about. Claire was ready to beat the shit outta Opal and didn't even know us that well. I had a feeling we would get along great with her. Kim seemed somewhat shy, but I knew Abby could break her out of her shell.

Leah was going to get ready at her house, so we were going to pick her up on the way to Joshua's. Time slipped by quickly and before we realized it, it was time to head over there. Even though Embry and his dad weren't on the best of terms, I was really nervous about meeting Embry's dad, because I was worried he wouldn't like me.

"You have nothing to worry about, Essie," Tiffany assured me as we got in the car. "Believe it or not, he already loves you." I hope so, I thought to myself, I really hope so.

When Leah emerged for her house I was completely floored by how great she looked. Donning a pair of dark skinny jeans, she really showed off her curves...curves I didn't know existed.

"Wow, Leah!" I exclaimed, followed by a whistle. "You look amazing!"

"Thanks, Embry and Seth said we had to look our best tonight," she mumbled, stepping down her front porch. "And usually, I would've just told him to kiss my ass, but since it's for you guys, I figured why the hell not?"

"Do you have any idea what this surprise is?" Abby asked her.

"I don't, actually. They thought I would blab if I was in the know...Assholes." Leah rolled her eyes. Fair enough. This better be worth all the mystery.

**Embry POV**

After talking to Rick, I found my suspicions were true—Diane didn't want a relationship with her son because she couldn't _'love a person who looked so much like the person she hated_.' Her exact words, not mine.

Hearing some shit like that, from your birth mother, must've really hurt. To my surprise, Rick told me that he knew who his biological father was at age thirteen after overhearing a conversation between his adoptive parents and grandparents. He was devastated, but he held some hope that Diane would accept him. Apparently not. Compared to Aden West, Joshua Uley was a saint. I realized, after hanging up with Rick, that my dad wasn't so bad after all.

I called an emergency pack meeting at my house, but I decided to let Leah sleep in, The last time Collin woke her up, he ended up with a dislocated shoulder.

"Talk about getting the short end of the fucked up stick." Jake shook his head. The rest of my pack brothers murmured in agreement.

"Giving Rick up for adoption was probably the only smart shit Diane ever did," Paul added, breathing heavy.

"But considering what this man went through, he came out on top. Stanford University is a pretty highly ranked school," Jared replied.

"I couldn't agree with you guys more. Rick's grandparents are in Lake Travis right now, celebrating their forty-fifth anniversary, but Rick is certain that as soon as they hear the news about Abby and Essie being here, they'll be on the next flight back to Forks," I told the guys.

"Apparently, Diane had been calling her parents once a month for years. She had been able to convince them that she was sober this entire time," Seth explained. "But we all know the truth now."

"Bree, Leah, and Tiff are going to keep Abby and Essie busy while we get everything set up at Josh's house," I added. "I want everybody looking their best; this is a big deal, guys."

"You can count on us, Em," Jake assured me.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoX**

"Embry, if you don't get the hell outta this kitchen, I swear I'm gonna have Paul kick your ass!" Rachel snipped at me. "Bella, Emily, and I have everything under control."

"Why does Jake get to stay?" I complained, trying to sneak a peek under one of the many pots on the stove. Bella smacked my hand with a wooden spoon.

"Because he doesn't hover," Bella nodded towards her fiancé, who was standing as far away as possible from us. He shrugged once and took a swig of his soda.

"Why don't you go play pool with the rest of the guys, or help Sue and Kim set the table," Emily suggested, pushing me out of the kitchen, only to be met by my dad.

"Hey, I was just about to step outside and have a quick smoke, wanna join me?" I was just about to make up some lame excuse about helping Sue and Kim set the table when I heard Essie's voice in my head. _Your dad came back_. She was right. He did. And I told her I would try.

"Let's hurry, before mom gets here. She hates it when you smoke." I watched my dad blink in surprise. This was the first time I really agreed to hang out with him on my own.

"Yeah, you're right." He chuckled. "She hates the smell." Once we made it outside, Josh pulled out a loose cigar and lit it. Even while wearing long sleeves, I could still see some of the damage from my attack on his right hand. I felt a little guilty that he had forgiven me and I had never even apologized. I guess the best way to start the healing process was to make amends.

"Josh, I want to thank you for everything you done in helping us find Ricky." I hoped my sincerity came through. "And I also want to thank you for what you did for Abby, paying Opal's hospital expenses and all."

"It's the least I could do son, those two girls have already been through some pretty tough times, they deserve to have people looking after them now." Josh smiled and gave me a quick smack on my back, before taking a drag of his cigar and blew it out before looking over at me. Now here comes the even harder part.

"That night, I lost it..."

"Embry, I haven't been with your mother since that night." Josh began to speak. "We saw how much it upset you and we've only been friends." His voice cracked when he said 'friends.' Looking into my dad's eyes, I could see he was being sincere, but I could tell that it hurt him to not be with my mom. If I couldn't be with Essie the way I wanted, I didn't know what I'd do.

"That's not what this is about-well, sort of." I nervously rubbed the back of my neck before continuing. "I'm sorry." As the two words came out of my mouth, I felt a serious amount of weight lift off my shoulders.

"I'm sorry I hurt you that night. If I could take it back, I would." My dad's eyes grew misty for a moment, but he quickly blinked his eyes, preventing any tears from falling. "Being around Essie and talking to Rick, I realize I'm lucky to have you back in my life. I want to try to have a real relationship with you." I extended my hand towards his, and he took it without a second thought, giving it a sturdy shake.

"Nothing would make me happier." My dad grinned at me. Hugs? I wasn't ready for that yet.

"Now, about mom," I took a deep breath. "I know you still love her."

"I never stopped," he uttered.

"I know," I replied. "I know she still loves you, and I know the reason why you're not _together-together_ is because of me." I took a long, deep breath as I allowed the next to sentence to flow out easily. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm okay with it now." My dad blinked a few times as he stared at me, totally shocked. A big grin spread across my face.

"Are you sure?" My dad looked at me carefully.

"Yes, just keep the PDA to a minimum." Nobody wants to see their parents getting frisky. "And please, get a room and lock the door, will ya?" I don't need another repeat. No kid should know what his dad's junk looks like! I cringed at the memory.

My dad laughed nervously. "No problem." In the distance, I could hear my mom's car approaching.

"Mom's on her way." I gestured towards my dad's cigar. "You might want to toss that." He did and I heard my dad's front door open. It was Seth. Neither one of us could stop ourselves from jogging to my mom's car as she pulled up. My dad came strolling behind us, making his way to my mom's side. Essie and Abby were in the back, while Leah sat in front.

Finally! I was going insane not seeing her all day. As I opened her door, I couldn't stop myself from doing a full body scan. Damn! She looked good. She was wearing a black and pink striped skirt, a skin-tight black long sleeved shirt, leggings, and high heels. "Wow, you look amazing."

"Thanks," she giggled, stepping out of the car. I didn't miss her checking me out. "You clean up real nice, too," she added as I leaned in to kiss her.

"I've been missing you all day." I whispered in her ear and felt a shiver travel down her spine. Seems like she missed me, too. I liked that.

Leah huffed as she got out of the car and I couldn't help but do a double take. I hadn't seen Leah look this nice since before she started phasing. "Dang, Leah, you look...like a girl!"

"Thanks," she growled, "considering the fact that I do have a vagina."

"He just means you look pretty, sis," Seth came to my defense as he walked around, holding Abby's hand.

"Whatever," Leah shrugged indifferently, trying not to smile.

"And you look very nice, too, Abby," I told Essie's little sister.

"Thanks, Embry," she smiled back.

"Josh, I would like for you to meet Essie." I noticed a wave of nervousness dance across her face, as my dad walked over to us.

"Don't worry," I whispered quickly kissing the side of her temple. Instead of shaking Essie hand, my dad pulled her into a hug.

"It's so great to finally meet you," my dad said pulling away. "My son has been waiting for you to show up." Essie's nervous demeanor disappeared, as she grinned at my father.

"It's nice to meet you too, sir."

"Please call me Josh, and the pleasure is all mine," he gestured towards himself and then focused his attention to Seth's imprint, "and you must be Abby." He hugged her as well.

"I can't thank you enough, for what you did for me, with the whole Opal situation." Abby's tone was heavy with gratitude.

"Don't mention it; we take care of our own."

"I'm realizing that more and more every day," Abby replied as she smiled at Seth.

"Should we go inside?" I looked down at my watch. Ricky would be here any second now. I gave my mom a quick hug before she headed inside with my dad. I'm sure they had a lot to talk about. I was feeling better and better about our little talk earlier. Who was I to deny them their happiness?

"Let's just wait for a second. Your '_surprise'_ should be here soon," Seth suggested.

"It's not a car, is it? Because I love my Toyota, Embry." Essie folded her arms across her chest. "And Abby can't drive."

"I'll teach you." I heard Seth whisper in his imprint's ear. Abby's eyes lit up as she smiled widely.

"No, it's better than that, and I would never replace your car unless you allowed me to," I assured her.

"Well, I'm going to head inside," Leah announced, turning around.

"Oh, Leah, please stay," Abby begged Seth's sister. She rolled her eyes once before giving in, just as this silver Acura RDX pulled up behind my mom's car. Slowly, the driver's side door swung open and Abby and Essie's '_surprise'_ stepped out.

Essie blinked her eyes several times, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her face paled, and her lips began to tremble. I watched her chest rise and fall dramatically.

"Oh my god!" Essie's hand flew to her mouth. Tears started spilling down her cheeks, as their brother slowly approached us. He looked just as emotional as his eyes moistened before us all.

"Ricky!" Abby squealed, running full speed towards her brother. He caught her effortlessly in his arms. "Where have you been?" She sobbed hysterically.

"I'm so sorry I left you guys. I wasn't sure if ya'll would want me, after finding out about everything," he whispered with raw emotion.

"We'll always want you, Ricky, you're our big brother," Abby cried. "Don't you ever leave us again!"

"I won't. I promise. Never again," Rick spoke with such conviction. I truly believed he meant every word.

Essie slowly tilted her head in my direction. "How did you...?" she choked, trying to get the words out.

"My dad hired-" I couldn't get the words out because Essie lips were suddenly on mine.

"Thank you!" she sobbed, before racing over to her brother, joining her sister in a group hug. I turned around to see Seth recording the whole thing on his phone, smiling all the while.

Leah was frozen in place. She didn't move, and she was breathing heavily.

I knew that look; I've seen it before. Gravity was shifting before her very eyes. Leah had imprinted on Rick.

"Lee?" I whipped around to see Ricky staring at my pack sister as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Richard?" She managed to finally say. What the fuck? They knew each other?

**A/N: I guess Ricky's low profile in Forks wasn't so low after all, lol. There it is, Leah imprinted on Ricky, but who would've guessed they already knew each other pre-phase? **

**Want a sneak peak of Chapter 15? Review Chapter 14 and a sneak peak will be sitting in your inbox by Sunday. Thanks once again for reading. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**For those of you who reviewed Chapter 14, I hope you enjoyed that extra long sneak peak, thanks once again for showing my story so much love.**

**Many thanks to those of you who added If You're Not the One to your alerts and favorites**

**Chapter Fifteen: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly**

Shit just got real. Leah imprinted on Ricky and they already knew one another. What the fuck? How in the hell did I miss this? Looking at Leah's face, I saw a flicker of recognition and bewilderment as she looked back at Ricky.

For Ricky, his expression was different. There was a lot of pain there as he stared back at our Leah. Something told me that their friendship-relationship, or whatever the hell it was they once had, didn't end well.

Abby, Essie, Seth, and I wore only one expression on our faces. Utter, total confusion.

Too bad none of us really had time to get the details of the story. I only had enough time to pass the message to Billy and Jake about Leah's imprint on Ricky so they could inform the other elders. I got to my dad's entertainment room in record time, where the guys were still playing pool. Seth stayed behind to keep Ricky, Essie, and Abby company.

Leah took off to her room to '_regain her bearings_'. Whatever the hell that meant.

"Hey, bro, you're just in time for me to take your lunch money," Sam chuckled as he broke. "Jared over here is too chicken shit to play me."

"I'm not chicken shit-I'm smart," Jared sniped. "Last time I played you, I was assed out two hundred bucks!"

"Yeah, and Kim kicked his ass over here," Paul howled, leaning against his pool stick. "Wait a minute, dude." Paul pulled out his cell phone and looked down at it. "What the hell are you doing here?" He raised one brow at me.

"Yeah, aren't you supposed to be outside, waiting for Ricky to show up?" Brady asked taking a sip of his soda.

"He's here already," I told them, finally getting my chance to talk. "That's what I wanted to talk to you guys about-"

"That's great, man!" Collin hopped off one of my dad's stools. "I hope you recorded their reunion. I'm sure the rest of the girls want to see it."

"We should head upstairs and meet him," Sam suggested.

"We should, but before we do, there's something I gotta tell y'all." Finally. I had their undivided attention, but my focus was on my brother. I wasn't sure how Sam would take this news. I knew he still had some lingering feelings for Leah, despite being perfectly happy with Emily, but the type of feelings like the ones Sam had for Leah didn't fade easily.

"Leah imprinted on Ricky."

Everyone's eyes went in Sam's direction, just as his smile slowly faded away.

"Are you sure?" Sam's voice came out, barely a whisper.

"I'm very sure," I finally answered. "And there's more." I swallowed hard. "Ricky and Leah know one another already."

"How is that possible? If Leah already knows him, why is she just imprinting on him now?" Collin questioned.

"Isn't it obvious, dumb ass?" Paul retorted. "They must have known one another from before, when Leah was with Sam-"As the last words escaped Paul's lips, Sam broke his pool stick in half. "…oh shit."

"I gotta go talk to Leah," he snarled.

"No, you don't." I stepped in front of my brother, and his nostrils flared with anger. "Not while you're pissed off." He and I both knew what could happen when we were this angry. People could get hurt.

"She fucking cheated on me!" Sam growled. "I deserve some answers, damn it!"

"Bro, just because she knew Ricky before she started phasing doesn't mean she cheated on you!" I tried talking some sense into him.

"Then why the hell didn't I know about this guy?" Sam demanded. "Why the hell didn't any of us know about him, huh?"

He had a point. After Leah phased, I knew she was hiding something from all of us. She was constantly in her own world, thinking of meaningless things whenever we were in wolf form together. We always assumed it was because she was trying not to think about Sam, but could it be that the true reason behind her trivial thoughts was that she was trying to hide her cheating on my brother?

"I'll talk to Leah," I bargained. "I'll get to the bottom of this." I looked over at Quil. "Try and stall everyone, and you," I pointed to Jared, "Keep Sam from phasing at the dinner table." I knew my brother had stopped phasing, but you could never truly give up your wolf completely. Anger could easily bring on a phase even after years of not being in wolf form. It had only been a couple of days for Sam. "If you think he's about to, get him outta our dad's house."

"Dad?" Sam scoffed angrily. "Now you're calling Josh _dad_." My brother shook his head at me and laughed bitterly.

"That's what he is, Sam." I glared at my brother. "What he did in the past was fucked up, but we can't stay mad at him forever. He came back to us. That's gotta mean something." I watched my brother's face soften a bit, but he still looked angry. "We'll talk later," I told him before heading to Leah's room.

**XoXoXoXoXoX**

Shutting Leah's door behind me, I was surprised to see her sitting calmly down on the bed.

"I knew you'd show up sooner or later." She exhaled, looking up at me, and I could tell almost immediately by the flushed expression on her face and the puffiness around her eyes that she had been crying. It's something she never did in public-even after Harry passed away. At least, she didn't cry in front of us, but we knew for a fact that she cried behind closed doors. Weakness. She hated showing it, and that's what she thought crying in front of others meant.

"Before you even say something dumb that'll get your ass kicked," she stood up, "let me save you. I never cheated on your brother," She stormed over to the window.

"If you never cheated, then why the hell didn't you tell Sam or any of us about Ricky?" I wanted to believe Leah, but shit just didn't add up. What was with all the secrecy?

"Because Sam's always been a jealous fool," she muttered, looking out the window.

She had a point there. My brother had a tendency to flip out whenever he even thought that Leah found anyone else remotely attractive.

"He would never understand my friendship with Ricky. None of you would." She shook her head. "And after all of you started disappearing on me," she whipped around, not hiding her bitterness, "_he _was all I had left."

I hadn't seen her facial expression this vulnerable in years, and it almost broke me. Leah and I got close when Sam started phasing and pining away for Emily, and what did I do when she needed me most? I phased, too, and vanished on her. Suddenly, I felt a wave of guilt hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Nothing ever happened physically between Rick and me until the night I phased. I came home afterwards and got a call from Emily. She told me that she and Sam were getting married, and she wanted me to be her maid of honor," she trembled. "Can you believe that, shit?" she laughed bitterly. "Me?" Leah pointed to herself. "Before I knew it, I was on all fours in my kitchen, staring back at my dad while he was clutching his chest."

Leah phasing in front of Harry was too much for the old man's already weakened heart. He died almost instantly. "I lost everything that night. I lost my chance at being happy with someone else again, and I lost my dad. That same night, I found out about imprinting, and I knew I could never see Ricky again," she huffed loudly.

"I didn't think I would imprint on him. My luck in the man department has been pretty shitty, Call," she retorted.

After a short silence, Leah stared at me, she seemed unsure. "What if he never forgives me for walking away from him? Did you see that look on his face when he saw me?"

How could I not? The guy looked so pissed and sad all at the same time. "He fucking hates me. I can't say I blame him. I did the same shit to him that you guys did to me. I left him when he needed me most."

"And just like us, it wasn't your fault, Leah. We didn't choose this life; it chose us, and we have to make the best of it." I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "You ready to face your imprint?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she grumbled.

**Essie POV**

I couldn't stop looking at Aden West's mug shot as my brother told Abby and me the sordid details of his life, along with a bunch of shit Abby and I didn't know about Diane. As I continued glaring at the sick twisted fuck known as Ricky's biological dad, I started hating the fact that he and my brother resembled one another. I found myself desperately searching for differences, feeling a little victorious when I finally found some.

Although Ricky and Aden both had green eyes, there was an evil darkness to Aden's. Something in them that looked unnerving and deceptive. They were empty; no lightness in them. Ricky's forest green eyes, on the other hand, were vibrant and beautiful. They had the tendency to absorb light rather than reflect it, making them appear luminous. Ricky also definitely had the same smile as Diane and Abby; the type of smile that could light up the darkest room and warm the coldest heart.

I also discovered that my mother's parents were alive and well. Diane used to live in Forks. Her full name was Imogen Diane Faust. She was kidnapped, and had her innocence snatched away from her at age fourteen by a serial killing rapist. Ricky was the product of that rape. No wonder why Diane was so fucked up. There's no way an ordeal like that couldn't change a person.

Diane met my father here in La Push, _not_ rehab. My dad had a twin sister. I was named after my grandmother _and_ my aunt-an aunt I never knew, who killed herself. Abby had been actually named after Diane's mother, so there must have been a part of Diane/Imogen that still loved her mom, right?

Ricky had known Leah for years. Last and definitely not least, Leah imprinted on my brother.

"And that's everything I know," Ricky finally finished, taking a long deep breath.

"I feel like I'm on emotional overload," I mumbled, rising from the bed as I balled up Aden West's mug shot and tossed it into the trash. I never wanted to see that asshole's face again.

"You and me, both," Ricky muttered, sounding just as exhausted. Our brother had been sitting between Abby and I on Embry's bed, while Seth sat on the floor facing us.

"Why didn't you tell us about our grandparents being alive when we met you all those years ago?" Abby finally asked. It was the same exact question I wanted to know the answer to.

"Because Diane asked me not to," he replied shamefully. "At the time, I would have done anything to make her love me. She said our grandparents were a sensitive subject and she wanted to be the one to tell you both."

"She never would have. Diane told us her parents were dead," I responded sadly. "Why did she hate them so much?"

"Because," Ricky shut his eyes for a brief moment, "they wanted Diane to keep me—raise me."

I had mixed emotions about this, myself. I mean, I loved Ricky as my brother—he was amazing—but I couldn't even begin to imagine how it felt to be this fourteen-year-old scared little girl who had been held in captivity for weeks, only to be told she was pregnant with her rapist's child.

"That day I took off all those years ago, Diane told me that she wished I was never born. I caused her too much pain, and it was my entire fault she was so fucked up." By now I could hear Abby sobbing quietly. Ricky wrapped his arm around our little sis as Seth slowly rose and took one of Abby's hands in his.

"Diane didn't want anything to do with me. She didn't even want to hold me the day I was born. I used to think that perhaps I'd be better off never being born." No one should ever feel that way, no matter what.

"But when I met Leah; suddenly I didn't think I was so bad after all." A small smile crept across my brother's face. "She was unapologetically herself. I loved that about her." It was so obvious to us all, the way our brother carried on about Leah, he was really in love.

"So do I," I agreed with him.

"Enough with this sad shit," Abby sniffled. "Let's talk about something else."

"I think that's a great idea," Seth whispered.

"What are Diane's parents like?" I knew they were my grandparents, but it felt weird using that term since I had never personally met them.

"They're amazing," Ricky responded with a big smile. "Nonna-she's the best." Abby lifted her head and stared Ricky with one eyebrow raised.

"Nonna?" she repeated. "I thought you said our grandma's name was Abigail, like me."

"It is," Ricky laughed, "But I call her Nonna. It's a nickname some Jewish folks use in reference to their grandmothers."

"We're Jewish?" I scoffed in disbelief. I did not see that coming.

"We're only one-eighth. Nonna's father was Jewish, her mother was Dutch. She was actually born in London, England. She moved to the states when she was just a girl, but she still has a faint accent. It's pretty cool. I've gotten to celebrate both Hanukah and Christmas every single year though." That's pretty cool. "Gramps was born in New York, he's of Irish decent."

"I can't believe Leah never told me anything about you," Seth blurted out of nowhere, shaking his head. "Leah never kept anything from me."

"If it makes you feel any better, Seth, Leah told me everything about you," Ricky finally replied back. "She was always bragging about how smart you are. How you never met a person that didn't like you." A sheepish smile spread across Seth's face. "Your sister really loves you. Things were just really complicated back then."

"Things are even more complicated now," Abby murmured. I knew she was referring to the imprint my brother had yet to find out about. Slowly, the bedroom door opened. I was happy to see Embry's face on the other side. We met each other halfway. He wrapped his arms around me, and all of the chaos disappeared.

"Dinner's ready," he whispered in my ear before kissing my lips. "Leah's already downstairs."

"Is she alright?" Seth and Ricky both asked at the exact same time.

"She will be," Embry replied quickly. "Let's head downstairs."

**XoXoXoXoX**

Ricky was introduced to everyone. Everyone, except for Sam and Emily. Jake suggested that they join us right before dinner as a last ditch effort to keep my brother and Sam apart. Thankfully, it worked.

Ricky sat between Abby and me, while Seth sat on the other side of Abby. Embry sat on my other side.

Leah sat across from Ricky. Every now and then, the two would just stare at one another. Their expressions would change often from fear and apprehension, to sadness and longing. It was pretty quiet; no one really said much until Jared finally spoke.

"So Ricky, I hear you and Leah know one another." Leah's eyes widened to the size of saucers, looking just as shocked as I felt. Jared, you dimwit! Out of all the shit you could think of to talk about, you bring up the one topic that should be off limits or set up for another time? Paul smacked him across the back of his head. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"You talk too damn much," Paul griped. I watched Sam take a long swig of his beer as he glared at Ricky. It felt unsettling, and as much as I liked Sam, I loved my brother more. I sure as hell couldn't phase into a wolf, so how earth could I possibly protect him?

"What, man? Inquiring minds wanna know," Quil countered.

"It's okay," Embry whispered in my ear. "I won't let anything happen to Ricky," he assured me. Did Embry truly love me so much that he'd protect my brother from his own? Yes. I believe he did.

"I'm really sorry about that, Ricky," Jake apologized on Jared's behalf. "Our boy, Jared here, tends to put his foot in his mouth."

"It's no big deal," Ricky smirked. "I don't mind talking about it." He shrugged indifferently. "I met Leah when she was sixteen, at J &amp; P's."

"Isn't that where you used to work, Leah," Seth spoke up.

"Yeah," Leah confirmed, taking a bite of her food and trying to look anywhere but at my brother, which she really couldn't since he was in her line of vision.

"I guess you could say I was into her from the moment I laid eyes on her," Ricky added before clearing his throat. "I must have gone to J &amp; P's every day for a week straight before I even had the courage to talk to her." Rick sifted through the contents of his plate with his fork. "But luck was not on my side." Ricky laughed, shaking his head. "Turns out Leah wasn't single—she was dating a guy from her rez." He rolled his eyes. "But I was willing to have Leah in my life any way I could," he added, before looking Leah directly in the eye. Leah's chest rose dramatically as she stared back at my brother.

"And in what way was that?" Sam cut in, sounding a little pissed off. Emily stroked his shoulder comfortingly, perhaps in an effort to keep him calm.

"Friends," he answered with a smirk. "She stuck me in the old friend's zone. Leah would never cheat on someone. She's far too loyal."

"That she is," Sam agreed, stealing a glance at his ex. "It's funny though, Leah never mentioned you to any of us."

"She wouldn't have. According to Leah, her boyfriend was a jealous asshole." Seth immediately started choking on his water, and Abby started patting his back, while Quil, Embry, and Jake started chuckling

"So, we carried on this secret friendship-so to speak. I mean it wasn't hard. I was always only here during the summers and some holidays, the rest of the time I was away at college. But we talked almost every day on the phone. Leah was...truly my best friend," my brother added, causing Leah's lips to curl up slightly, as did his. Their chemistry was so apparent. I couldn't help but smile, too.

"Wow." Sam smirked bitterly, shaking his head. "We never knew any of this." I watched Leah's ex stab his steak. "That's just...wow!"

"Hey, dude, it's dead already," Collin nodded towards Sam's plate of mangled steak, just as Sam picked up his beer and swallowed the rest in three gulps.

"So, tell me something," he slammed his bottle back down, "if you were Leah's boyfriend and the shoe was on the other foot, wouldn't you feel just a little pissed about her having a secret friend...a secret _male_ friend that you didn't know about?"

"I wouldn't," Ricky answered without hesitation. "If the shoe was on the other foot, Leah wouldn't need a friend like me," he pointed to himself, "because as her boyfriend, I would have also been her best friend." Could someone please change the subject?

"You think Leah's ex wasn't a friend to her?" Sam stared at Rick.

"Not her _best_ friend, he wasn't. He didn't know how to talk to her sometimes. Leah's ex was an idiot." Bella's dad, looked as though he wanted to say something, but Billy shook his head as if to signal him not to. "He didn't understand that Leah was like the wind-wild and free. He tried to fence her in like a caged bird. I would have let Leah fly, I always let Leah fly."

"You don't even know Leah's ex," Sam argued.

"I know enough," Ricky countered. "I know that jerk took off for two whole weeks without a damn word. And when he came back, he dumped her. Then he ended up with her cousin." Wow, my brother knew everything. "I drove fourteen hours straight from Stanford because she sounded like a part of her had died that day." My brother truly was devoted to Seth's sister. "Nearly lost my scholarship," he added with a loud sigh.

"You cared so much for my daughter," Sue stared at my brother with such awe, "that you would risk your education to see if she was okay?"

"Yes ma'am," my brother replied. "She was worth academic probation."

"You never told me that," Leah stared at Ricky, totally shocked.

"It didn't matter. Only you did at the time. You'll never understand the kind of power you had over me." Ricky shook his head, staring at Leah. "You still do."

"I've heard enough of this shit!" Sam exclaimed, standing up. "Did you sleep with this asshole?" Embry's brother glared at Leah.

"Don't yell at my sister!" Seth stood up, balling up his fist. "I've knocked you on your ass before over this shit, and I'll do it again!" Oh, really? So Sam was the guy Seth dragged through the mud over Leah?

"Everyone needs to calm the hell down!" Jake bellowed, rising from his seat.

"Jake's right," Embry agreed, standing up. "You can't change the past, bro."

"What the hell is your deal, man?" my brother demanded, glaring at Sam.

"Sam, please." Emily stood up and gripped her husband's arm. "You need to calm down. What's done is done. It's over between you two; you have to let her go. It's not fair to her. It's not fair to me either. Leah deserves to be happy."

Ricky's eyes widened slightly as he glanced at Leah and then back at Sam.

"Sam? This is Sam?" He wildly threw his hand at Leah's ex and stood up. "_The_ Sam?" Ricky started rolling up his sleeves and balling up his fists. "You have no idea how long I've been itching to kick your sorry ass!" Leah quickly made her way around the table to Rick.

"You want to kick _my_ ass?" Sam pointed at himself in disbelief. "If anyone deserves an ass kicking, it's you for trying to put the moves on someone else's woman!"

"I never tried anything with Leah while you two were together-nothing happened between us until after it was over between you two!" Ricky argued back.

"So you did sleep with him!" Sam exclaimed.

"Sam, shut hell up for just five minutes!" Leah then turned towards my brother. "Rick, there's a whole lot of shit you don't understand." She gripped my brother's hand.

"You're right, Leah, there is a lot of shit I don't understand," he retorted bitterly as he looked down at Leah's hand resting in his. "How can you sit at a table with this guy? After everything he did to you? How many nights did I have to listen to you cry over him, trembling all over? Huh? Why did I have to find out about your dad dying from my grandparents?"

I could hear the pain in my brother's voice as he stared at Leah and I hadn't seen that look since the day he took off, and it immediately made me feel terrible all over again.

"Just when I thought you and I were getting somewhere, past him hurting you, you told me to stop calling. You changed your number. You walked away. Was I not good enough? I just want to know why."

Billy cleared his throat. "Leah, perhaps you and Ricky should continue this conversation elsewhere in private."

"No," Leah shook her head, "Abby and Essie just got Ricky back, and I won't pull him away from them. We'll talk later."

"No, Leah." I finally stood up. "You and Rick need to talk, now."

"Y'all really do," Abby added. "We'll see Rick tomorrow at Diane's parent's house."

"Are you two sure?" Ricky's eyes shifted from mine to Abby's.

"Yes," we both replied.

**A/N: What did you guys think? Want a sneak peak? Review this chapter and one will be sitting in your inbox on Sunday. Thanks again for reading everyone. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**For those of you who reviewed Chapter 15, I hope your sneak peak, thanks once again for showing my story so much love.**

**Many thanks to those of you who added If You're Not the One to your alerts and favorites**

**Chapter Sixteen: Bring on The Rain**

**Embry POV**

"I have no idea what came over me out there just now." Sam groaned plopping down on my dad's recliner in his office. "I'm not even _in_ love with Leah anymore," He shook his head. "I'm happily married with a baby on the way." He groaned burying his head in hands. "I know I have to let her go, she deserves to be happy, but seeing Rick look at Leah the way I look at Emily made me a little crazy."

"You're jealous," I simply replied staring at my brother who finally looked up at me. It was at that very moment his expression transformed from embarrassment to revelation.

"Fuck!" he snarled. "You're right, but I shouldn't be." He shook his head. "I should be happy for Leah, but instead all I wanted to do is kick Rick's ass."

"What you and Leah had was special bro, it really was, but I think in life when we're with someone, sometimes it's only for a brief moment to prepare us for the real deal."

"I guess you're right," Sam huffed standing up, just as Essie walked into my dad's office. My brother immediately began groveling. "I'm really sorry about earlier Essie, that green eyed monster, just kicked in and I couldn't control myself." Essie hesitantly approached my brother and squeezed his hand.

"It's alright Sam," she told him pulling away, "but if you ever hurt my brother, I will have to get Jake to kick your ass."

"Why Jake?" I asked with a mocked hurt tone as Essie waltzed over to me. "I can handle Sam." I added kissing her.

"I don't think so little brother." Sam chuckled, prompting me to flip him off.

"Because, I don't think it would be right for you two to fight one another being brothers and all, so I figured it would be best to have my own kin handle things."

"Fair enough," Sam shrugged indifferently. "I'm going to head back and join everyone for dinner," his shoulders sagged a little, "and apologize."

Damn it! Could things gotten any worse today? This is not how I wanted things to turn out. Nothing was going as planed.

"I'm really sorry about all of this Essie," I huffed remorsefully.

"Hey," Essie pulled my face down towards hers and kissed me. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

"But I do," I groaned with frustration. "This was not how I saw things playing out in my head. I wanted everything to be perfect for you and Abby, but instead it became one big supernatural cluster fuck!"

"I don't see it that way," Essie disagreed shaking her head. "Embry," her voice was soft and pleading, "you found my brother." She touched my cheek and stroked down my jaw. I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. "You have no idea how grateful I am for that, Then I find out I also have living grandparents. This is the second best day of my life."

"Second best?" I opened my eyes and raised one brow.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Our first kiss, on the beach…" she trailed off licking her lips and I couldn't stop myself from leaning in and kissing her once more. Once again she had me lost in her seductive floral scent and her sudden arousal only made it stronger just as her tongue found mine.

I wanted her, more than I ever wanted anyone else in my life. My hands slowly traveled down her back, and squeezed her tight ass briefly before hiking up her right leg to push myself closer between her legs. I don't think I've ever been this damn hard before, and I had to show her exactly what type of effect she had on me.

"Embry!" She moaned against my lips.

Fuck! My name never sounded so sexy, my lips trailed down her neck just as Essie's hand started to travel down my abs, getting closer the one place that I wanted her to touch most, but I started to realize if she got her hands around my dick, there was no controlling me after that.

I needed to stop while I still had some control, because as I much as I wanted this, I knew without a doubt in my mind that Essie was a virgin, and there was no way I would take her virginity in a house full of wolves, on my dad's desk.

No matter how tempting and fun it sounded.

Damn, what this woman did to me. As much I wanted to continue down this path of lust filled kisses and then some, there was still another question I had to ask her. I finally willed myself to pull away, as Essie whimpered in protest.

"What about Leah?" I managed to ask her between breaths. How did Essie feel about her brother getting imprinted on? I watched Essie's beautiful face form the widest smile I had ever seen. That smile of hers was worth more to me than anything I owned. Slowly she wrapped her hands around my waist and leaned her head on my chest. I allowed my chin to rest on her head.

"Even better," she replied softly, kissing me once more. "Do you know what this means for me and Abby? It means Ricky gets to be in our lives without boundaries. Leah imprinting on Ricky is a good thing, and it makes sense."

"How so?" I asked. Leah and Essie had grown very close very fast. I wondered what she saw that I didn't.

"Because Leah told us she never wanted to imprint on a stranger. And Ricky isn't a stranger." Damn, I didn't even know.

"Maybe you're right," I took a deep breath, "But this does sort of ruin my plans."

"Plans?" Essie repeated finally pulling away and looking at me curiously.

"Well, I was hoping after you and your big bro spent some time together, you wouldn't mind spending some alone time with me." My hands found her hips and shook them a bit. "You haven't even seen my house yet." I hadn't even really had any private time with Essie since I imprinted on her.

"Who says we still can't do that?" She eyed me seductively. "I would love to see your place." I had to stop myself from doing an actual happy dance.

"Really?" I beamed.

"Yes, definitely," she confirmed smiling back. "Let's finish dinner first and I really want to sit down with Billy. There are some things I want to discuss with him regarding my dad, Diane, and my aunt." I figured as much. If anyone knew all the answers to this puzzle it would be the chief of our tribe. "Is that okay?" she asked still smiling that sexy smile.

"Of course."

_Mental note to self: Buy a desk, just like my dad's. ASAP._

**Essie POV**

Dinner was not as awkward as expected. After Sam publicly apologized for his jealous behavior, dinner went on without a hitch. Every now and then I did wonder how Leah and Ricky were doing. I really wanted things to be okay between them. Leah and Ricky had already been through enough bullshit in their lives. Imprint or not, they were perfect for one another. I decided to put my worries aside and place my focus elsewhere. Like Embry and I finally getting to be alone later. I was a ball of excited and somewhat nervous energy.

After dinner, many took off except Billy, Joshua, Tiff, Sue, Seth, Abby, Embry, and me. Billy whipped out several albums filled with pictures of my dad, my grandmother, and Aunt Flo. I found out, through Billy, that's what everyone used to call her. When Diane was sober, she'd call me that too. Ironic, huh?

Our chief went on sharing with us these hilarious stories of all the shit he, my dad, and the rest of their buddies used to get into. He told me about the time he and my dad stole some moonshine from my grandfather and got so sick, they weren't even punished. They were told the moonshine alone was enough of a reprimand.

There was one occasion where Billy took his dad's pick up truck and went into to Port Angeles to go to some party they had been prohibited from going to. Chief Swan, my dad, and Harry Clearwater tagged along. Unfortunately, the engine died and they had no way of getting home, so they had to walk to the nearest payphone and call home. They got grounded for a month and were all only allowed to leave the house to attend church and school.

I had never laughed so much in my life, but my happiness was tested when Billy turned the vinyl page of his worn out album and landed on a picture of her.

Diane.

An eerie silence replaced the happy atmosphere. Billy quickly tried to turn the page.

"No!" I stopped him. I couldn't peel my eyes away.

Diane had never looked so stunning. Her hair still had its beautiful luster; her eyes still had light shining through; and her smile, what a smile! It was so eye-catching just like Abby's. She was sitting on a porch wedged between two people. To Diane's left was a very young, handsome version of my father. He seemed happier than ever. I felt a slight pang in my chest as my fingertips, traced the outline of his handsome face.

On my mom's right was, who I presumed to be, my aunt Florence. Everyone was right; I did look like the Moonflower women. The only difference between Florence and I was her skin was a shade or two darker, and her cheekbones were set a bit higher than mine. Had I not known better, I would have assumed it was a picture of Abby and me. Florence was smiling, but her eyes seemed sad; that perplexed me a great deal. Why was Florence so unhappy, but intended on smiling anyway?

"You know," Billy exhaled deeply, "growing up back then in my time, certain things that are accepted now, were frowned upon back then. Whether it was mental illness or alternative lifestyles." Jake's father shook his head solemnly. "Florence always had a heavy heart, these days people call it clinical depression."

That made sense, I guessed. During my saddest moments in life, my heart always felt like it was working over time, making it feel heavier than usual.

"Seeking professional help was taboo back then, but Mother Moonflower didn't care, she knew Florence needed it, so she signed her up for an outpatient support group for teens and young adults who suffered from emotional problems and drug abuse issues. That's how Florence met your mother, Imogen. They were in the same support group."

Billy shut his album and set it down on the table. "At the time, Tim had been away for the summer, at some music camp. I don't know what it was about Imogen that drew Florence in. Perhaps it was loneliness. It was the first time Flo had been without her twin, and they became fast friends."

"In the beginning Mother Moonflower adored your mother; she was grateful to have her around because Flo seemed to be really coming around. She wasn't so sad anymore. That whole entire summer, your aunt and mom were inseparable." Billy shut his eyes for a brief moment before continuing. "That was until your father came back and everything went downhill from there. Flo became more withdrawn once your mom took to your father."

"I don't understand." I shook my head confused. "Did she not want them to be together?"

"No one really understood, in beginning," Sue cut in. "It was crazy. Flo and Tim were like peas and carrots. They never fought like some siblings, they were like best friends."

"But all of a sudden, they started arguing constantly, about little things, and the only time they weren't fighting was when your mom would relapse and they had to work together to get her back on track." What was it with my mother? Why did everyone care for her so much?

"For those who spent time with the three of them, they noticed how difficult it was for Flo. Some people thought perhaps she was jealous of Imogen coming in between her and Tim," Billy mused.

"But other people in our tribe thought it was Tim she was mad at for taking such an interest in her best friend. You see, your father was a bit of ladies' man back then, and Flo didn't want Imogen getting hurt," Sue added. "Years passed and Flo continued to get worse."

What was happening to my aunt? Did anyone ever bother asking what had been plaguing her? It seemed so unfair to just assume and speculate shit.

"I still remember the day I met Flo on the beach when was I pregnant with Embry," Tiffany exhaled. I could see the guilt peak in Josh's eyes, as the woman he loved recalled a painful part of her past-a painful memory caused by his actions. Tiff gently squeezed Josh's hand, as if to tell it, it was okay. The past, is the past now.

"Flo seemed so sad, she was older then—twenty three or twenty four—I think, but still she felt this love and compassion towards helping others. She brought me home to Mother Moonflower's and it was the first place I ever called home." Tiff focused her gaze on me and Abby. "I only got to know Flo, your mom, and Tim, for another year and half before things went really bad." I could see tears collecting in Tiff's eyes.

"I can't." She shook her head, as she grew far too emotional. Josh pulled Embry's mother into his side as he tried to comfort the woman he loved. Talking about this wasn't easy for her. Billy cleared his throat, and decided to finish.

"Tim announced he was going to marry Imogen. Flo seemed utterly devastated and angry, she stormed out of the house and Tim ran after got into the worst argument ever. Flo actually punched your dad." Abby and I both gasped.

"Luckily Billy was able to finally restrain her," Sue added. "At that moment we truly thought Flo had lost her mind. But after taking a front row seat to their very last fight, we finally understood why your aunt was so upset with your father for dating Imogen, it was raining that night…"

Flashback Begins

"_What the hell is the matter with you, Flo!" Tim demanded rubbing his jaw where his sister had just punched him._

"_Let me go Billy!" Florence snarled trying to break free. "This is between Tim and me!"_

"_No Flo, I'm not __gonna__ let you do something you'll regret later," Billy argued back as he continued to restraining his friend. "You're family, you shouldn't be fighting!" By now Imogen, Tiffany, Sue, Mother Moonflower and few other party guests were outside as they watched the once close siblings at one another's throats. _

_Just then a loud thunderous roar erupted from the pitch-black sky._

"_You could have any girl on this __rez__, why did it have to be her!" Florence gestured towards Imogen. "Why did you have to fall in love with my __Immy__? Why Tim?" Flo continued yelling._

"_Timothy, Florence!" Mother Moonflower hissed sharply at her children. "get inside the house, you're causing a huge scene! This is madness." _

"_The only person who's acting mad is Flo! For Christ's sake, I've changed my ways. I would never hurt Imogen! I love her," Tim told his sister. "And besides, don't you get it Flo? Imogen is straight, she can't see you that way!"_

_Tim's confession alone caused Billy to release Florence and stumble back a bit in utter shock. No one knew Florence was a lesbian. And furthermore, in love with her best friend?! Instead of going after her brother again, Florence sank down to the ground into a muddy puddle, not even caring that she ruined her brand new floral sundress she just bought that day. _

_And then, the once light trizzle of rain became a heavy downpour._

_Tiffany saw how broken Flo appeared and rushed to her friend's side pulling her into arms while Flo continued to sob. _

_Florence sniffled once more as she pulled away from Tiff and slowly stood up and stared at Mother Moonflower. "I wasn't getting better, because Immy became my friend mom. To me she was much more than that." Tim's sister stared longingly at the woman she would never have, as the rain fell harder and the temperature began to plummet, causing her teeth to chatter. _

"_I've told you before Flo, I don't see you that way," Tears were now streaming down Imogen's face. "I wish I could, but I just can't. I really tried to. I love you so much. You mean the world to me. I need you in my life, but not like that. I can't." Imogen shook her head. "If you were a man…"_

"_You would be in love me," Florence finished Imogen's sentence as if she heard it a thousand times. "But I can't stop the way I feel, I will love you until the day I stop breathing. Being just your friend, I can't do that anymore and I damn sure as hell can't watch the woman I love marry my own fucking brother!" she hiccupped finally making eye contact with Tim. "I can't watch you live my dream."_

"_Flo, I'm sorry I can't control who I love. I hate that I'm hurting you." Tim's eyes moistened as he stared at his sister. They were once so close, Tim would have given his right arm for his sister, but he couldn't spare his heart. He loved Immy far too much, and the heart wants what the heart wants. Even if that meant he and his sister would never be the same again towards one another. _

"_Just promise me something Tim," Flo whispered sadly. "Don't ever give up on her." She nodded towards Imogen. "No matter what she does? No matter how bad she hurts you, no matter how many times she tries to sabotage her progress. Love her forever. Love her, like I wanted to." _

"_I promise Flo," Tim murmured. As soon as Tim sealed his fate, Flo slowly turned and ran away, into the woods; never looking back. _

"_Is that why you are with my son?" Mother Moonflower glared at Imogen. "Because he is practically the male equivalent of my daughter?"_

"_No of course not!" Imogen exclaimed totally appalled by Mother Moonflower's accusation. "The last thing I ever wanted to do was cause problems and come between them…"_

_"But you have!" Mother Moonflower argued back. "My children got along fine before you came around. You destroyed my family. My husband is gone and my children are all I have left!" she spat angrily at Imogen. _

_"You are like the drugs you take," She moved closer towards her son's fiancée "You are poison." And with that last insult Mother Moonflower slapped her son's fiancée so hard, Imogen to nearly fell into the mud, just as bolts of lightening dangerously danced across sky. _

"_Damn it mom! That's enough!" Tim marched over to Imogen and immediately began examining her face where Mother Moonflower smacked her. "It's not her fault!" Tim glared at his mother. _

"_Yes it is!" she spat at her son, as she returned her attention to Imogen. "Stay away from my children. You are not welcome here. You will never be a Moonflower." Imogen was heartbroken. She just lost her best friend, and now her soon to be mother in law would never accept her. _

_That night Florence committed suicide._

_After Florence's funeral Imogen took off. She felt so guilty about Florence's death, she just couldn't handle the glares coming from Mother Moonflower and other members of the tribe who knew the whole story. Tim followed after Imogen. He loved her that much. She was all he had left, after his mother told Tim she would disown him if he married Imogen. Tim just couldn't give her up. He loved her too much, so he went after her and never and came._

End of Flashback

By now I was clinging to Embry allowing tears to flow for not just my aunt, but my father, Mother Moonflower, and strangely my mother too. Abby was doing the same as Seth held her close.

My father didn't stay with my mother just because he loved her; he stayed out of love for his sister. He stayed, because he promised he would. No matter what.

"Those who were present the night of that terrible fight promised they would never speak a word of it. Flo had been through enough; no one needed to know why she did what she did. Tribe members blamed it on her heavy heart." Billy revealed. "Mother Moonflower was filled with so much regret for running Tim off. She tried everything in her power to make amends. It's why she left him the deed to her house. But mother and son never spoke again. The first time I laid eyes on you Abby, I knew who your mother was." Shit, that was why Billy had such a shocked expression on his face the day he met my sister. Not because of the fact she didn't look like a Moonflower, it was because she looked like my mother!

Abby suddenly looked up at Billy, her eyes filled with surprise. "You look so much like she did, all those years ago." He told her. "I didn't need a private eye for that." He grinned smugly at Embry's dad.

"Touché ole man," Josh grumbled.

"I guess you could say Sue and I were denial," Tiff sniffled finally getting some of her emotions back in check. "But then again, you said your mother's name was Diane, and I ignorantly assumed Tim was so hung up on Imogen that he got involved with a woman who looked so much like her." I couldn't help but laugh a little at Tiff's assumption, as did Abby.

"You know," Billy reached out and gripped my hand. "I believe Flo, Mother Moonflower, and Tim have found one another in the crossroads of the spirit world and have made their peace and parted in a friendly way." I allowed Billy's words to soak in slowly. "We have to learn to do the same." He was right. I wasn't happy with all the decisions my father made, but staying angry at him for it wasn't worth all the pain and heartache I was allowing it to cause me. I needed to move on. I needed to let him go.

"I forgive my father for loving my mother. I forgive him for keeping Aunt Flo's promise to never leave." The words came out almost too easily, and shocked me a bit. "And I forgive him for dying." Embry leaned over and kissed my temple.

"I'm so proud of you babe," he murmured against my ear.

"I forgive daddy too," Abby smiled at me, as tears streamed down her face. Seth smiled at his imprint, and gently took her hand into his. I couldn't help but grin back at my little sister. I realized then and there, I was responsible for my life. I couldn't keep blaming somebody else for my own dysfunction. Life is really about moving on and it all started with letting in love _completely_; and letting in Embry Call.

**A/N: Want a sneak peak of the next chapter? Review Chapter 16 and one will be sitting in your inbox on Sunday.**

**Big reveal: Leah and Ricky will have their own separate story, so if you're a Leah and Ricky tune in for the next installment of If You're Not One: Leah &amp; Ricky. **

**Thanks once again for reading. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**For those of you who reviewed Chapter 16, I hope your sneak peak, thanks once again for showing my story so much love. Please keep the reviews coming; it keeps my creative juices flowing!**

**Many thanks to those of you who added If You're Not the One to your alerts and favorites.**

***Pictures of Nonna and Gramps are on my profile***

**Chapter Seventeen**: **Family Ties**

I know most women would love to live in a lavish mansion like Josh Uley's, surrounded by expensive fancy foreign imports, but like I said before, I'm not like most girls. I would take living in Embry's cabin any day. From the moment I stepped inside, I knew without a doubt in my mind that I was truly home.

I could actually see myself cuddling close to Embry while we sat in front of his crackling fireplace, sipping hot chocolate as we watched the snow build up against the window ledges.

The warm decorating scheme throughout the entire lodge gave the feeling of the rugged outdoors, combined with warm wood, bold colors, and primitive accents everywhere. I love it all; from the orange and gray accent pillows that brought out the beige colored sofa in Embry's living room, to the open kitchen and small dinning table that sat in the corner surrounded by tall windows. I found myself circling the large living room as I took in every little detail. Looking up I noticed Embry watching me with a hopeful look in his eyes. Did he not realize how wonderful his house was?

"I redecorated the place after I bought it from my dad," Embry explained as he showed me around my dream house. "There's a total of three bedrooms, but one of them is still empty," he added, flipping the lights on and off as he ushered me through the cozy little hallway. "Maybe you can help me decide what to put in there," he added guiding me back towards the living room. "I'm not really sure what I want to do with it."

He motioned for me to take a seat on his sofa while he made his way to the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink?" Hot chocolate, I thought to myself as I settled into his couch, my hands traced the beige fabric, it was softer than I imagined. I then noticed a his rather large flat screen TV mounted to the wall. Damn, I bet he and his boys watched a lot football games.

"Water's fine," I replied instead, Hot chocolate could wait.

"So what do you think of the place?" Embry asked once he returned with our drinks handing me one and setting his on a coaster. He actually used a coaster.

"I love it," I smiled, taking a sip, "almost as much as I love you." Embry's eyes flickered with happiness. "It looks a whole lot like the place I used to see in my dreams."

"Really?" Embry smiled as he lifted his hand slowly and gently to graze my cheek. I shut my eyes and allowed myself to really lean into his warmth. Damn, this man could send my heart and body into a frenzy with one simple touch.

"Yes," I shakily replied, reopening my eyes, only to be met with the most sincere loving ones staring back at me.

"I'm glad you like it." I watched the chestnut flecks dance in Embry's eyes, only making him that much more handsome. I placed my drink on a matching coaster and Embry's hand immediately took mine into his. "I always have this urge to touch you. It calms me."

"I know what you mean," I agreed, allowing the warmth in his hand to spread throughout my whole body. I could feel the lust slowly building within as I watched desire skip across Embry's face, but I also noticed what appeared to be a little uncertainty. Using my free hand, I touched his face.

"What's the matter Em?" Embry shook his head a little, like he didn't want to answer my question. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know," he sighed. "It's just-I've been wanting to have you all to myself since the moment I saw you. I've been fantasizing constantly about all the things I've wanted to do to you," his sly, sexy smirk sent a jolt of desire right between my legs. You ain't the only one, Mister. "But after hearing about your mom, your aunt, and dad, I feel like I'm being selfish because I still want you," his sultry voice was tinged with a little guilt. My heart dropped down into my stomach and that jolt turned into a dull, steady throb.

"I still want you, too," I finally replied, staring back at him. "And there's nothing wrong with that," I added hoping he'd take the hint. I wasn't completely inexperienced with boys, but Embry wasn't a boy. He was a man and I was a little nervous.

Never taking his eyes off me, Embry leaned back on his sofa and gently pulled me with him. This was my favorite place now—in his embrace with his lips against mine. All my nervousness was gone. I wonder if this man actually really knew what he did to me. Just one simple kiss could make me feel things I never thought I'd ever desire in all my life. His hands ran up and down my back, and sending shivers up and down my spine. I wanted more of this. More of him.

Embry's hands dived under my shirt and he slowly began rubbing them up and down my back, his warm hands caressing with such need, only made me want him more, I felt my sensitive areas start to moisten.

Following his lead, I dove my hands under his shirt, and allowed myself to do some exploring of my own. His muscles felt like so tight and sculpted, I just had to see them, touching wasn't enough anymore. I tugged a bit at Embry's shirt, prompting him to sit up and yank it off.

Never taking his eyes off of mine, Embry slowly laid back down. My fingertips couldn't resist, I needed to touch him. His abs felt like smooth rocks, they occasionally tightened underneath me as I continued tracing them. His breathing sounded a slightly erratic as my fingers danced across his chin and then tendons in his neck, I leaned in and boldly used my tongue to brush along his neck. He was salty and sweet, his scent reminded me of ivory and pine. How I loved it.

"Essie, fuck." Embry moaned squeezing my ass. Pure lust and instinct was guiding me now, as I rocked my hips against the ever-growing large bulge in his pants. The euphoric sensations I felt as a result of my naughty lustful actions only made me want more. My lips found his.

"Essie," Embry growled against my lips as his hands slid to my sides. Hearing my name with such passion forced a moan of pleasure to escape my busy lips. "Essie, stop, baby." This time, there seemed be a lot more control in Embry's voice, and his hands stilled my movements. Why the hell was he stopping me? I opened my eyes only to see Embry's own eyes shut tightly. He appeared to be deep in concentration as he tried to control his breathing.

"You don't want to…" I couldn't even bring myself to finish asking. The sting of rejection was settling in and I began pulling away, Embry stopped me as his eyes finally opened. They were darker than I had ever seen, and for some unknown reason, I felt more turned on by the hungry, feral look.

"Oh, I want to," he assured me, "but you haven't done this before, have you?" I let out a loud, annoyed groan. That was all it took for me to climb off of him, sliding to the very end of the sofa.

"Shit, do I have _'virgin'_ written on my fucking forehead?" I groaned, folding my arms across my chest. "You must think I'm a total loser." I couldn't even bring myself to look at Embry.

I mean, how many seventeen-year-old virgins existed these days? I'm sure I'm considered a endangered species. I should be put on display next to the Cross River gorilla and charge the zoo a substantial fee so patrons can have my picture taken with them.

"Essie, I'd never think that of you," Embry replied as he finally sat up. "You weren't able to trust someone with your heart. I wouldn't expect you to trust someone with your body." Although Embry's words gave me a little comfort, my mind couldn't help but wonder just how much experience he had with girls. I shifted in my seat and shrugged.

"I'm not gonna bullshit you, Essie. I've had my fair share." How the hell did he know what I was thinking? Fair share? Damn this! I changed my mind—I didn't wanna know.

"Please," I gritted my teeth, "spare me the details; I just want to know if any of those relationships were serious."

"No," he replied without any hesitation. "After all that shit went down with Leah, Sam, and Emily, the rest of us guys refused to allow each other to get hung up on one person."

"Oh, I get it," I shook my head sadly, "you were just using them to get off."

"They were using us, too." My eyes finally met Embry's and I could see the pain.

"The girls I slept with weren't exactly innocent, Essie. They were just as willing as I was. Not to mention, messing around with our gang gave those girls bragging rights." I couldn't help but look Embry up and down. From his chiseled features I his beautiful flawless russet skin-tone couldn't blame those girls for having eyes and good taste. Not sure if I could resist him either, no imprint needed.

"Doesn't make things any better, but I honestly wish I was strong enough to wait for you to come along." I couldn't help but smile. My eyes noticed a hickey I left on his neck, I reached out and touched it, Embry's eyes shut for a moment and leaned into my touch. "I NEVER let anyone mark me Essie, only you," I knew my little love bite wouldn't last long because he feels fast, but it felt good knowing I was the only one he let do that to him. He really was mine, and I was his.

"Since we're being so honest," I bit my lip before continuing, "I don't think I would have stayed a virgin this long if you had lived next door." Embry threw back his head and laughed. I started laughing as well.

"We don't have to do this tonight if you don't want to, Essie. I mean, we've only been together officially for a day. Don't you think we should, you know, go out on a real date first?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose you're right." Damn him for trying to be a gentleman now.

"Besides, your first time will not be on my sofa," Embry declared as he stood and pulled me up with him. "We should get some sleep. You're meeting Diane's parents in the morning for breakfast and your first day of work is that night."

"Shit!" I cursed, and my hand flew to my mouth. I totally forgot about being hired at Rachel's restaurant.

I didn't lose my virginity that night, but it didn't stop us from having one heavy make out session. Date night needed to happen ASAP!

**XoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Seth and Abby met us at Embry's place. My little sister gave me knowing smile and I couldn't help but blush a little bit.

"So, how was your night big sis?" Abby wiggled her eyebrows at me. "Anything _different_ about you?"

"No, not yet." I smiled sheepishly. "But soon, what about you and Seth? Anything _different _about you?" I teased her back as we made our way to Embry's truck. I wasn't sure if I would feel jealous or shocked if my little sis lost her virginity before I did. But either way, it was her choice and considering the imprint I wouldn't kill Seth for de-flowering my baby sis.

"Nope, everything is still the same." Abby sounded a little disappointed, "We decided to wait until my birthday." She added sounding a little happier. It was just a few months away, as was mine. "You and Embry?"

"First date." I winked at her, and we both started giggling.

We decided we would all ride together. Abby and I decided to ride in the back, given the fact that our men were freakishly tall, and we didn't want them being cramped and uncomfortable.

The whole time, Abby and I held hands, gently squeezing one another's for moral support, every single time one of us began to tense up with nervousness. Pulling up to the large beautiful house didn't do shit to help my nerves. This couldn't be where Judge Faust and his wife lived, could it? All the confirmation I needed was parked in their driveway: Ricky's car. Parked right alongside it were three other foreign expensive looking vehicles.

"What the fuck?" I muttered slowly, staring at the massive house that was only a teeny bit smaller than Joshua Uley's.

"You didn't tell her?" I heard Seth mumble, slightly shocked at Embry, who stole an apologetic glance at me using his rearview mirror.

"I really didn't think it was a big deal," Embry uttered.

"Shit," my sister groaned, shaking her head and looking at me.

I leaned forward and gripped the back of Embry's seat. "Tell me what?"

"It's about Diane's parents—your grandparents," Embry finally replied, unhooking his seatbelt. "The Faust's are loaded."

"That's to be expected." I scoffed. "I mean, he's a judge." Duh. "But this place is huge!"

"That's not why they're well off, sissy." I turned my head to look at Abby, who looked a little apprehensive. "Apparently, our grandmother comes from 'old money'". Her fingers hung in the air after she did little air quotations.

Old money. Inherited wealth. I was familiar with the term; money that had been in one family for many generations like the Roosevelts. You know the ones who later became prominent in politics, producing presidents Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt.

I leaned back in my seat and inhaled deeply. "How wealthy are we talkin' here?"

"Very," Abby answered. I should've known better. From the car Ricky was driving when he showed up all those years ago, to the nice expensive clothes he had in his suitcase. Ricky also spoiled Abby and I a great deal when he was with us for that brief bit of time.

"What if they're a bunch of stuck up rich assholes?" I asked still trying to control my breathing.

"They're not," Embry assured me. "At least, they never seemed to be whenever I saw them in passing." I guess we would just have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

My nerves started to settle as I got out of Embry's car just in time to see Leah pull up. A small smile spread across my face as she stepped out and walked up to us.

"Ricky and I talked last night," was all she divulged.

"I would have hoped so," I replied, hugging her. "And?" I asked a little impatiently.

"He doesn't know everything, yet," Leah whispered, "but we're trying to work on the whole _being friends again_ first." I didn't miss the disappointment in her voice as she pulled away from me. I guess being friends with your imprint wasn't easy. "I really hurt him, Es. I'm lucky he's even freaking talking to me right now."

"It'll work out, Lee," Abby said and gave Seth's sister an encouraging smile.

Leah simply nodded to her response, but I wasn't sure if she believed Abby or not. It made me a little sad seeing our friend who always seemed to be so tough look so uncertain. I really hoped she and Ricky made it through this rough patch. As we all headed towards the front door, it opened before any of us could even knock.

"You guys made it!" Ricky grinned brightly, pulling Abby and I in for a hug. He then shook hands with Seth and Embry. "Hey, guys, it's nice to see y'all again." Ricky added as he focused his attention on Leah. "Hey, you." He extended his hand to her.

"Hey, back." Leah grinned, grabbing his hand greedily. It looked to me that the whole friend thing wouldn't be lasting too long, going by the way Ricky kept staring at our she-wolf like she was something to eat.

Our brother finally snapped out it after Seth cleared his throat. "Well," He scratched his head nervously before continuing, "Nonna is still upstairs. She's been trying on outfit after outfit since 7 o'clock this morning. She does that when she's nervous," he went on. "Gramps is already in the living room," Ricky added as we followed him down the hall, after Leah of course, because he hadn't let go of her.

"Babe, we're going to stand in the hall for a minute while you and Abby meet your grandparents." I nodded as Embry gave me a chaste kiss. Seth gave Abby a quick peck as well.

"I'm gonna stay behind, too." Leah added letting go of Rick's hand, I didn't miss the slight disappointment in my brother's face, as Leah moved towards us giving Abby and I both a quick hand squeeze. She looked nervous as hell. What was that all about?

**~XOXOXOXOXOXOX~**

As we entered the living room, we saw an older guy standing by a fireplace near a beautiful grand piano. He looked no older than sixty, but still appeared to be in great shape. He was dressed modestly and had gray hair. He had the most endearing blue eyes I had ever seen, and I didn't miss the fact that they seemed to be tearing up—he discreetly tried to wipe them—as he walked slowly towards us. He stopped just in time for Ricky to drape his arm onto the older man's shoulder.

"Abby and Essie, this is Retired Judge Michael Faust, our granddad, but I call him gramps."

I could tell Gramps seemed uncertain, just like us, as he slowly inched away from Ricky. He lifted both arms as if he wanted to hug us, but shook our hands instead. I totally understood, we were all in an uncharted area. How does one react? Uncertainty was to be expected. "You look so much like your baby pictures." His voice was kind and firm with a hint of nostalgia.

"You've seen our baby pictures?" Abby and I both blurted out. Judge Faust smiled and nodded, pulling out his wallet and opening it. My sister and I stepped closer to get a good view. He was telling the truth. There we were, ages three and five, sitting on our sofa, hugging one another.

"These are the only pictures Immy ever sent us, but I never leave home without them," he told us, placing his wallet back in his pocket. His smile looked so much like Ricky's, making him seem less of a stranger to me. I couldn't help but smile back at him.

When Seth and Embry finally came in with Leah, they were greeted with warm hellos, but Judge Faust asked to speak with Leah in private and Ricky didn't seem too happy about it.

"Do we have to do this right now, gramps?" Ricky groaned, glaring at our grandfather.

"It's fine, Ricky," Leah cut in, giving him a brave smile. As she and our grandfather exited the room, I stared at my brother.

"What was that all about?" I raised one brow.

"After Leah left, I didn't handle her cutting me off too well," Ricky answered me as he sat down. "I was in bad shape," he added, shaking his head. "Not to mention I'm not the only person Leah stopped talking to. Our grandparents really loved her." Loved? As in used to, but not anymore? Shit, I hope they still did.

As we all waited for Judge Faust and Leah to return, I found myself focused on the grand piano once again, placed in the corner of two massive windows. I couldn't control my next actions as I wandered over, and almost touched one of the ebony keys. I always wanted to learn how to play, but money was so tight for us that we really couldn't afford those sorts of luxuries. Dad used to always say that learning how to play would be easy for me considering I already knew how to play the guitar.

"Ricky, who plays that piano?" I couldn't help asking as I took a seat at the grand instrument.

"Immy did," the most angelic British accent replied, prompting me to whip my head in the direction from which it came. I slowly rose back up and pulled my hand away guiltily for making myself way too comfortable in a home that didn't belong to me.

There was no way this stunning woman standing before me could be my grandmother! "I taught her," she explained sheepishly.

She looked far too young. She had the same eyes as Abby and my mom. Her hair was similar to Abby's, but a bit lighter, which only made me believe that she must have started dying it once it began turning gray. The only thing that gave away her age was the smile lines around her eyes, but still she was gorgeous. I noticed they were a bit puffy, too. She was holding a handkerchief in her right hand. Just then, tears started streaming down her face. "Here I go again." She gestured towards her face and used her handkerchief to wipe the tears away. "I usually don't this." Ricky immediately stood and quickly made his way over to our grandmother to hug her. I made my way back to Abby. Ricky then guided her towards us.

Just as Abby stood up, our grandmother pulled away from Ricky and threw her arms around us. My sister and I froze for a moment, but hugging our grandmother back felt so right, which only made her cry harder. "I…am…so…sorry!" she sobbed shamelessly. "If I had known Immy was still sick," she continued crying, "I would have tried to take you both away after Tim died."

"It's okay," Abby and I both assured her as she pulled away. "It's in the past now." Nonna nodded, and wiped her tears once more, finally focusing in on our boyfriends.

"You're Embry, Joshua's son, right?"

"Yes, ma'am." Embry smiled, standing up.

"Please call me Nonna." Our grandmother smiled, hugging my boyfriend. "Your father and I have done a few business deals together in the past. He's great man." This must have been the first time Embry heard this given the shocked expression on his face. My grandmother turned her attention to Abby's boyfriend. "And you must be Seth."

"Yes, it's nice to formally meet you, Nonna." Seth smiled, hugging her as well. Just as our grandmother finally had regained her composure, Leah and Gramps walked in.

"My little hinny!" Nonna exclaimed, quickly walking over to Leah. She cupped Leah's face and planted kisses all over her cheeks. "Where have you been?" Just as Leah tried to open her mouth, Nonna cut her off. "It doesn't matter; you're here now, but don't you ever leave us again, you hear me?"

"Yes, Nonna. Gramps already ripped me a new one," Leah grumbled.

"As he should have," Nonna said firmly, now hugging her.

"I never got the chance to thank you for the nice flowers you sent our family when my dad died." Leah sighed heavily. "I was going through a lot at the time." Yeah, like phasing into a wolf and killing vampires. Oh, Leah-she definitely got the short end of the stick.

"It's fine, dear. Ricky told me you had been going through some changes," Nonna replied, nodding in understanding. She had no idea how extreme those changes were. Our grandmother finally let go and turned around to face us all. "Let's eat!"

**~XOXOXOXOXOX~**

"Wow!" Abby exclaimed as we all sat down at the table that had a spread that could put I-Hop to shame. Some of the plates were pretty traditional-like the bacon, pancakes, sausage, and biscuits-while the others weren't really what I would consider breakfast food. Who eats baked beans for breakfast? There were a few items I had never even seen before.

"Nonna wasn't sure what you guys liked, so she sort of went all out for you two." Gramps smirked as he stared at us. "I hope it doesn't go to waste."

"It won't go to waste!" Leah, Seth, and Embry all replied as they started piling up their plates with anything and everything on the table, causing us all to laugh.

"Now I know some of this looks a little foreign to you all," Nonna began, "because it is, but I really wanted you and Abby to get a little taste of London." She motioned with one hand. "We have kippers, scones, fried bread, oh, and my favorite; kedgeree." Nonna lifted a plate that looked something like some of sort of yellow rice dish and showed it to Abby and I.

"Ked-a what?" I laughed, inspecting the dish curiously.

"Kedgeree, sis," Ricky repeated, smirking. "It's got smoked haddock, boiled rice, parsley, hard-boiled eggs, curry powder, and butter," he explained. "Sometimes people use cream and occasionally sultanas."

"Sultanas?" Abby repeated, raising one brow.

"Pale green grapes," Gramps answered my little sis.

"Oh, okay, I'll try it." Nonna beamed brightly as she put some on my plate.

"Me, too." Abby held up her plate. We loved it!

Abby and I put a forkful in our mouths and stared one another. Identical smiles spread across our faces as the blend of flavors seeped into our palates.

"So, you like it?" A hopeful looked danced across Nonna's face. Abby and me both nodded happily. That was all Embry and Seth needed to see before they dug in as well.

"So, Nonna, we know Gramps here is a retired judge. What did you do?"

"Well, I'm still working," Nonna smiled as she took a bite of her food. "Although I retired my microphone a long time ago."

"Oh, you sing?" I raised my head from my plate. Another singer in the family? That's awesome.

"Oh no, dear," Nonna shook her head, smirking. "I sound like a cat being tortured by a rabid mad dog." We all started laughing. "American Idol rejects sound quite talented in comparison to me."

"Oh," I sniggered, though just a bit disappointed.

"Actually, I used to do stand-up comedy. Now, I own a website called For Missus and Giggles. It helps open doors for up and coming females in the comedy industry."

"Oh my goodness!" Abby squealed and dropped her fork. All eyes swung towards my sister. "That's my favorite website." I swear I thought my sister would burst. The small amount of disappointment I felt when Nonna explained she wasn't a singer faded almost instantly.

"Really?!" Nonna exclaimed excitedly. All our eyes shifted to Nonna.

"Of course," Abby laughed. "I really love to laugh and make others laugh as well." It felt like we were at a tennis match.

"That's right," Seth replied. "Abby writes the funniest short stories."

"Well, you must bring them by," Nonna encouraged. "We will have to put them up for the world to see."

"But you don't have a short stories category on your website." Abby's face fell a little.

Nonna seemed thoughtful for a moment, "Well, I do now," she grinned.

"But what if they aren't funny enough?" I could tell my sister was starting to doubt herself. "You haven't even read one of my stories." Had she not realized how funny she was? How she could make me laugh at the saddest moments when I wanted to cry? But before I could give her any words of encouragement, my grandmother did instead.

"Oh, Abby," Gramps smiled, "you have her genetics. I'm sure you have a sense of humor, and if your stories need a little work, you have her as a mentor."

"Really?" Abby started to tear up looking at Nonna.

"Of course, dear, you're my granddaughter," Nonna agreed.

As we all fell into comfortable conversations, I started to think about my mom. I hated to admit it to myself, but I missed her.

Damn, I must be suffering from Stockholm syndrome or something. But the more I learned about my mom's past, the more I started to understand why she was so fucked up. I loved her. She was the only mom I ever had, simple as that.

"What was she like growing up?" I murmured, staring down at my plate. "My mom, before everything happened?" You know, before as in referring to her rape, giving up Ricky, and Flo committing suicide.

The table grew quiet.

"Well, ahem," I looked up to see my grandfather shift a little uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry. Damn it!" I covered my mouth. "I mean, dang. I have a tendency to curse a lot, especially when I'm nervous."

"No, it's fine," Gramps recovered quickly. "We are used to colorful language. Your aunt Flo had a mouth on her." He shook his head and smiled.

"Looking at the both of you," I watched my grandmother's lips tremble, "is like stepping into a time machine," she added, tearing up. "You and Abby remind me so much of Flo and Immy, and when Tim started coming around, there was never a dull moment. Especially when your gramps started teaching him how to play the guitar, he had such a beautiful singing voice already."

"Wait," I cut her off, "You taught my dad how to play?" I stared at my grandfather, pleasantly surprised.

"Oh, yeah. Guitar has always been a hobby of mine. Your dad and I would sit around the fire and play for hours. It was a way for us to bond. Tim liked playing the guitar so much that I bought him one for his birthday," he added. "I bet it's probably long gone by now." He shrugged indifferently, but I could tell he sounded a little sad at the thought.

"Was it a Fender?" I asked.

"That's right," my grandfather nodded suspiciously. "He kept it?"

"Yes," I fought back the happy tears. "He taught me, too." I watched my grandfather's lips curl up.

"You two should play together some time," Nonna recommended, leaning forward, "and unlike your ole Nonna here, your Gramps doesn't sound like a animal being tortured."

The whole entire room erupted into laughter. It was official. I loved Diane's parents-_my grandparents._

**A/N: Before I say my famous phrase, I would just want to say one thing:**

**There is nothing wrong with being a virgin until you're 100! It's your prerogative. But if you want to be sexually active that's your choice too, but please be careful. **

**Moving along to my famous phrase:**

**Want a sneak peak of the next chapter? You know what to do, review this one and a sneak peak will be sitting in your inbox on Sunday. **

**Thanks once again for reading! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**For those of you who reviewed Chapter 17 I hope your sneak peak, thanks once again for showing my story so much love. Please keep the reviews coming; it keeps my creative juices flowing!**

**Many thanks to those of you who added If You're Not the One to your alerts and favorites.**

*****Check out the pic of Embry and Essie's first date on my profile*****

**Chapter Eighteen: If You're Not the One**

After breakfast, I went upstairs to wash my hands, and found myself walking down a long hallway only to end up halted at a door that read _'Immy's Room_.' I shakily lifted my hand and opened the door.

It was beautiful. The room was decorated with white linens and gold trimmings. Beautiful golden-brown painted tree veins sprawled across the wall and there was a large painting of a ballet dancer who looked so much like my mother. I couldn't stop myself as I walked over to the painting.

"Your mother loved to dance." I turned around to see my grandfather standing in the doorway with a reminiscent look in his eyes. "Immy was a natural. She started ballet when she was just four years old." Gramps walked towards me and placed his hand on my shoulder as he began staring at the same painting. "Dancing came as easily as breathing oxygen for her," he exhaled.

"At fourteen, a friend of mine from Julliard came to see her dance at one of her recitals and told me and your grandmother that he could see her starring in Swan Lake someday," he went on as Abby walked into the bedroom and joined us. "She was great at anything she put her mind to - she also had the kindest heart," he whispered as his voice trembled. "She used to volunteer at this nursing home not far from where we used to live in New York. She would always spend time with the patients who had no family of their own. She'd stay with them for hours, just talking." I watched my grandfather's eyes grow from sad to angry in a matter of seconds. "But then that bastard destroyed her."

I knew to whom he was referring: Aden West. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you what happened to her, it may be too difficult to hear." Gramps shook his head.

"No, please Gramps," Abby pleaded. "We _want_ to know. We _need_ to know. We _have_ to know."

Gramps hesitated a moment, as he continued staring at the painting of our mother, before finally speaking again, "The first night that _asshole_ ended her dancing career, by intentionally causing an Achilles tendon rupture in both her legs, so she wouldn't escape." I cringed, held back my tears, as Abby squeezed my hand and exhaled loudly. "Surgery was required along with extensive physical therapy, just so she was able to walk again properly. Immy used to be so full of life and happy. He took everything from her. The only good thing that came out of this horrible situation was Ricky."

Was Gramps truly that great of a man to set aside his bitter feelings towards Aden West, to love his grandson? I couldn't help just stand in awe at the man before me. "But you still love Ricky?" Gramps nodded. "How? Why?"

"Ricky was an innocent baby, brought into the world under the worse circumstances. The last thing he ever needed was hatred and resentment from us. We already failed Immy, we could not fail Ricky as well." Why on earth would my grandfather feel he failed Diane? Yes, she went through a horrible ordeal, but my grandparents didn't put a gun to head to force her to do drugs.

"How did you fail Immy?" I stared at my grandfather totally flabbergasted. "You didn't make her do drugs," I added bitterly. Yes my mother went through a whole damn lot, but turning to drugs and treating Abby and I like shit wasn't right either.

"She was just a child, _our child_, _our responsibility_. It was our job to get her better. But we didn't do anything to help her until it was too late," His tone was filled with so much guilt. "I tried to convince myself she was fine once we got her back, but Immy was just so angry." He shut his eyes for moment. "I was so ashamed that I couldn't prevent something so horrible from happening to my own child. I was the one who was appointed to uphold the law." He shook his head irately and pointed to himself. "And I couldn't even protect my own daughter." Gramps shut eyes for a moment and exhaled deeply. "I waited too damn long to get her the proper help, every single therapist, counselor, and psychiatrist recommended inpatient treatment. She had the most severe case of post dramatic stress. I thought a change of scenery and an outpatient support group was all she needed after having Ricky."

My grandfather walked over to the dresser and picked up what looked like a picture. He brought it back over and handed it to me. It was my mom. She was dressed in a pink ballet costume, and tiara. She was radiant; glowing with such happiness. I wanted to know this Diane. Not the one I grew up with.

"She's so beautiful," Abby took the words right out of my mouth, and I simply nodded in agreement.

"That little girl died," he gestured towards the picture, "and a ghost of her former self returned. Even if Flo never committed suicide, Immy still would have had problems." My grandfather looked into my eyes and then Abby's. "I know the two of you are angry with her, but you should be angry with us too, for not getting her the right help. Those drugs," he trailed off, "she's been self-medicating, and we were so ignorant not investigate further into her telling us she was still clean. We should have tracked her down and saw things for ourselves. Life would have been different for you both, had I not let my embarrassment, stubbornness, and shame get in my way."

So many things done wrong so many mistakes made. I just wanted my mom back.

"I'm not mad at her any more Gramps and I'm not mad at you or Nonna either," I exhaled. "I just want her to get better," I confessed. "It's all I ever wanted, and by now she's probably on the streets again."

"We'll find her," Gramps assured me, "and this time, we're getting her the right treatment." With that final confirmation I hugged my grandfather tightly. Looks like Shawn Quest would be needed once again.

**Embry POV**

I wanted to hate Imogen. I really did. For all the shit my Essie suffered through, but after hearing about everything Imogen had dealt with on her own I just couldn't. Imogen lost her innocence by force, her talent by violence, her best friend by suicide, and her sobriety from post dramatic stress. She was the true definition of the dead horse being beat. Everything that could have happened to her bad had already been done. The only thing we could do now is find her and get her the help she needed.

Claire and Kim picked up Essie and Abby from their grandparents house to hang out for a few hours and get to know one another. Later on Essie and Claire would drive to The B-Spot, since Claire was working the same hours.

Leah, Seth, and I went back to my house to talk to the rest of the pack. The whole Ricky and Leah saga had gone on right under our noses and we were all curious, how she was able to hide something like this from our whole entire pack.

Leah admitted sadly, that she refused to think about Ricky at any given time, whether she was on patrol or not. Every now and then she would slip while alone, have a flashback or two that left her feeling empty and angry inside. This whole entire time we thought she was angry towards Sam, I mean damn, she did a good job of blaming him. Who were we to think otherwise? How did we know our pack sister was angry with herself for letting go of the first guy she fell for since she lost Sam?

After our meeting, our pack decided to hang at the beach for a while. The majority of our girls were working tonight and we didn't really wanna just sit and around and do nothing alone, so we decided to nothing together. We did some cliff diving and tossed the football around, when we noticed Topaz walking along the beach _by herself_. Opal was nowhere in sight. Still the shy teen was focused on her feet and nothing else as she walked on her own.

"She's alone." I couldn't believe it. Topaz followed her sister like a lost puppy, allowing her to lead the way, what was so different now?

"Oh yeah," Jake chuckled. "I forgot to tell you guys, Opal was sent to live with her grandparents in Makah. Topaz told her parents what we really went down on the beach that day, and they were pissed!"

"She actually stood up for us?" I was totally shocked as I stared at the lonely looking lost girl. "Why would she do that?" My heart actually went out to this girl. She was always so quiet and shy. I felt deep down inside after hearing all that stuff about Diane, that something must have happened to Topaz to make her this way. There had to be a story behind her strange behavior.

"She's not all that bad." Brady said defensively, as we all whipped our heads in his direction.

"How the hell would you know?" Leah folded her arms across her chest as she stared at her cousin inquisitively.

Brady shrugged indifferently. "I had a few classes with her, she's really smart, she gets straight A's, she doesn't bother anybody. And she's pretty," he added smiling sheepishly looking over at Topaz.

"How can you tell? No one's ever seen her face," Seth smirked shaking his head.

"Her side profile's pretty promising," Brady mused as he continued staring at Topaz.

"Oh shit!" Paul howled. "Our little pup has a crush!" he added pulling Brady into a headlock and gave him a noogie.

"Knock it off!" Brady growled, as he tried to escape but couldn't. Before long, Paul and Brady were both rolling around in the sand lost in this whole wrestling match. It was pretty funny to watch.

That's when we all heard a loud thud. Brady and Paul immediately stopped fighting. We slowly turned her heads in the direction of the sound, only to find Topaz Shadow passed out near the beach next to a large boulder-like rock. We could smell the blood, and saw it seeping from her head.

"Seth! Go get to Sue!" Brady yelled as he raced towards Topaz, with us fast on his heels. Kneeling down he cradled her head in his lap. She'd been knocked out cold. "Hey Shadow," he whispered loudly. "Wake up," he urged sounding panic stricken.

Finally she stirred a bit, and slowly lifted her hand towards her head, where she was bleeding. "Ow," she groaned. "Brady?" she sounded a little unsure and still hadn't opened her eyes yet. "Brady Fuller?"

"Yeah it's me," he confirmed, pushing some loose strands out of her face, and what you know? She was cute, in an adorable kid sister sort of way.

"Oh no!" Topaz whimpered. "It's getting worse, now I'm daydreaming about him. As if dreaming about him every night isn't enough torture," she complained. Looks like little Topaz Shadow had a crush too.

"You're not dreaming chica," Leah sniggered. "This is the real deal."

Within seconds Topaz's eyes shot open only to be met by Brady's. Our pack brother gasped and he became lost in the young girl's light hazel eyes. Gravity shifted once again. This look so reminiscent of a blind man seeing the sun for the very first time was starting to become all too familiar. Brady imprinted on Topaz Shadow.

"Your eyes," Topaz murmured lifting her hand to Brady's face. "They aren't missing." What the fuck does that mean?

"What are you talking-" Brady was unable to finish asking his question, Topaz passed out again. "Fuck!" he growled.

"We're here!" Sue yelled from a distance with Josiah Cameron in tow. What the hell was he doing here? "Has she been out the whole time?"

"She woke up long enough to have Brady imprint on her," Paul supplied dryly.

"She looked into your eyes?" Dr. Cameron sounded absolutely shocked as he kneeled down beside Brady who was still holding tightly onto Topaz.

"Why are you here?" Brady demanded staring at Dr. Cameron. "What's wrong with her?"

"Doctor patient privilege." Dr. Cameron replied, while Sue pulled out some flask.

"Fuck your doctor patient privilege!" Brady snarled. "What the hell is the matter with her, damn it, I mean she was shocked I had pupils!"

"Perhaps you should tell him Jo, he did imprint on her. It's been seven years since she's looked someone directly in the eye," Sue urged opening her small flask. "This imprint was able to do something you haven't been able to."

Dr. Cameron seemed a little hesitant before taking a deep breath and speaking. "Topaz suffers from ommetaphobia; it's an intense, irrational fear of eyes," he revealed. "She suffered a very dramatic event at age seven involving a loved one's eyes, that's all I'm going to say about this. She may be your imprint Brady, but she's still my patient."

That's why Topaz never made eye contact!

Just as Sue was about to run the flask underneath Topaz's nose, Brady pulled his mate protectively closer against his chest. That shit smelt awful! "What is that?"

"It's spirit of hartshorn. It's used for rousing consciousness," Sue explained. "I need her wake up to make sure she doesn't have a concussion. Sleeping is not good if she does."

Brady didn't let go of Topaz but allowed Sue to revive her.

Topaz gasped after finally waking up, pulling her head away from Sue's hand. Realization must have set in as our newest wolf girl noticed she was still wrapped in Brady's arms. "I'm not dreaming, am I?" she only stared at him. "You're really here, holding me?"

"Yes I'm really here," Brady smiled down at his mate, "and I will never let you go."

**Essie POV**

Working at the B-Spot was all kinds of fun. Although it was busy, I still had a ball hanging with Kim and Claire. Not to mention I got to talk to Riley every now and then when I picked up my orders for my tables.

It was already time for my lunch break and Embry was stopping by with Shawn Quest, his father's private investigator so I personally thank him for finding Ricky and discuss finding my mother. By the time I came from the back of the restaurant Embry and Mr. Quest were already sitting in my section on opposite sides of the table. I was grateful to see he already ordered for us. I was starving.

"Hey babe," Embry stood up and gave me a quick kiss, before sitting back down and allowing me slide in beside him, his hand found a spot on my thigh. I loved it when he touched me. "Shawn this is Essie," Shawn reached across the table to shake my hand.

"You are so not what I was expecting," I smirked, as Embry squeezed my thigh a bit. Was someone feeling a little possessive?

Now don't get me wrong, Embry by far is the most handsome sexy man I had laid eyes on, but Shawn Quest was a pretty attractive older gentleman. Quest had some pretty amazing blue eyes that were very striking against his caramel skin. With his strong jaw line and full lips, I'm sure many women were committing crimes left and right to get arrested by him during his days as a cop.

"I get that a lot," Shawn chuckled. Embry's hand slid slowly up and down my thigh, as if he was reminding me he was still there. Quest was good-looking, but he wasn't Embry. No one could ever compete. I tilted my face towards Embry's and gently placed a kiss on his lips, just to let him know he was all I'd ever need. His lips curled up slightly before I returned my focus back to Quest.

"I just wanted to personally thank you for helping us find my brother, and now for looking for my mom. Although Joshua is paying you, I have every intention of paying him back," I told him.

"You don't have to do that Essie, I took on your brother's case pro bono and your mother's will be the same." I stared at Mr. Quest totally shocked.

"I know you're good friends with my dad Shawn, but I know investigation work is pretty expensive," Embry cut in while I tried to find my voice.

"I've been waiting on a assignment like this for years," the private eye explained taking a deep breath. "You see Essie, our lives aren't that much different. Your mother is addict, while my parents were the drug dealers." He shook his head. "I saw a lot growing up. Terrible things that will be forever etched in my mind for the rest of my life." He sighed heavily. "My parents never hid anything from me and my brother Dalvin, since they were training us to take over _the family business_ some day."

"The best thing that ever happened to Dalvin and me was when the Feds kicked in our doors and took us outta there. Davlin was six and I was twelve at the time. We didn't end up the system; one of the leading federal agents, a man by the name of Christian Quest really took to my brother and me. Turns out he and his wife never had the opportunity to have children. They were very business oriented and by the time they realized they wanted children they were way into their late forties. He and his wife Natalie became our new parents. So, you can see why this means so much to me and why I can't charge you. I'm paying it forward."

"Wow," I finally managed to say. "If you don't mind me asking, where's your brother Dalvin now?" A brilliant smile crept across Shawn's face.

"My baby brother runs Last Resort in Seattle, Washington. It's one of the leading rehabilitation centers for women with drug addictions associated with dramatic events. This facility doesn't just treat the drug addiction, it treats the mental disorders associated with those patients, and my brother has already made a suite available to your mother once she's found."

I was at a loss for words. All of the shit my family suffered through and finally I felt it was possible that good karma existed. Maybe, just maybe there could be some contentment in my life. Happy tears began streaming down my face. "Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me."

"But I do." Shawn grinned back standing up. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I've got a mom to find." I couldn't stop myself from hugging Shawn before he left. I had a great feeling about him. He also gave me hope for my future. He was raised in an environment surrounded by addiction just like I had and here he was, making something positive out of his life, along with his brother Dalvin.

**~XOXOXOXO~**

"So many great things are happening today," Embry mused holding my hand while he drove us back to his place.

"Like?" I knew everything that had happened to me, I wanted to know what else went on. What did I miss?

"Well, for starters Opal's parents sent her to live with her grandparents in Makah, while little Topaz Shadow has become our very last wolf girl."

"No shit!?" I exclaimed staring at Embry as he nodded with a laugh, "Brady and Topaz huh?"

"That's right," he confirmed.

"But wait," I was little confused. "How did Brady get Topaz to look him the eye? I thought you guys said she never made eye contact with anyone."

"That's right, but little Shadow took a nasty fall on the beach, she hit her head, and when she opened her eyes Brady was holding her in his arms, and just like that-wham! Imprint." Embry pulled into his driveway. "Do you know what this means Essie, for us? For our pack?"

I shook my head. I had no clue.

"According to all of our pack archives, once the last wolf imprints, it means the threat is over. We can get back to our normal lives. We'll always be able to phase as long as we're young enough if a threat presents itself again, but it's highly unlikely leeches will come around again for a long time."

Embry told me while they continued phasing, they didn't age, which meant I'd continue growing old, while he remained young. It was the only thing about the imprint that made me sad. I couldn't imagine growing older while he remained nineteen forever, I mean luckily the guys looked older, minus Seth, Brady, and Collin; still it scared me.

"That's the best news I've heard all day," I leaned forward and kissed him with everything I had in me.

"I have to show you something," Embry breathlessly whispered against my lips.

"I bet you do," I murmured back seductively.

"No," he smirked, "not that. Not yet at least, but soon." Embry grinned as he got out of his truck and walked around to my passenger door, and opened it. "Abby helped me pick out the perfect dress for you today, it's in the bathroom along with anything else you need."

"What's going on Embry?"

"Our first date."

Oh!

**XoXoXoXoXoXoX**

My heart swelled as I entered Embry's backyard. It was a romantic outdoor setting, the type of the scene you'd only see in movies. I spotted a beautifully decorated candle lit table for two under his gazebo with rose petals lightly sprinkled across the grass. I felt loved and appreciated. Something I never thought I could ever experience in my life.

But the most amazing view was the man standing before me dressed in black slacks, a white long sleeve button down, with a matching black vest holding one single lavender rose.

The lavender rose is often a sign of enchantment and love at first sight, like imprinting. Those who have been enraptured by feelings of love and adoration have used lavender roses to express their romantic feelings and intentions.

How perfect.

"You look great," Embry smiled walking towards me with pure love in his eyes. "Abby said you looked amazing in red, but that's an understatement."

"So do you," I told him, finally pulling my eyes away from him to look around. "How were you able to do all of this?" I gestured towards the romantic scene.

"I had...some help," he admitted sheepishly. "The wolf girls live for stuff like this," Embry chuckled handing me the rose. "If you think this is awesome, you should see what tricks they have up their sleeves when Jake and Bells get married."

"So what happens now? Are you and the guys just going to stop patrolling right away or will it be a gradual sort of thing?" I asked finally after he pulled my chair out for me and took a seat for himself.

"It'll start off gradually, then we'll just start patrolling at night, and eventually everything will taper off, our goal is to be done by the time school starts back up for Brady, Seth, and Collin so they finally start just worrying about their grades. Brady and Collin's grades have been pretty shitty, they barely passed last year. Seth on the other hand, he's a genius, so he's going to tutor them."

"Abby can help too," I added. Whatever force powers the imprint really did pull together a strong network of people.

"That's great to hear. Seth might be really intelligent, but he ain't no miracle worker, he'll need Abby's help to get those two guys back on track, but I also hear Topaz is pretty intelligent too. Looks like we'll all be okay." He reached his hand across the table and I met him halfway with mine interlocking our hands together.

"We're gonna be happy," I grinned.

"Yes we are, all of us. All we need now is the perfect song." He smiled back at me. That smile of his always did something to me. It conjured emotions I never thought I'd ever feel towards another person. Love, safety, and wholeness.

"Song?" I raised one brow.

"Our song. One the defines everything we've been through babe, and I think I found it." Embry winked and pulled out his iPod and placed it on the table. "I heard it this morning on the way to my house after dropping you off, and it's us Essie, it really is." He pressed play.

_If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?_  
_If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?_  
_If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call?_  
_If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all?_

_I never know what the future brings_  
_But I know you are here with me now_  
_We will make it through_  
_And I hope you are the one I share my life with_

The words were perfect they were all about us. Embry slowly rose from the table and walked around to where I was sitting.

"Dance with me Essie?" How could I say no?

_I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand_  
_If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?_  
_Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?_

_If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?_  
_If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?_  
_If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?_  
_If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?_

"Do you really dream of me as your wife?" I looked into his devoted eyes while we swayed back in forth. My heart fluttered with happiness. I cannot believe how many drastic changes my life had taken in such a short period of time. I had my brother back. Grandparents I didn't know that were alive. And the love of Embry Call.

_I don't know why you're so far away_

_But I know that this much is true_  
_We will make it through_  
_And I hope you're the one I share my life with_  
_And I wish that you could be the one I die with_  
_And I pray in you're the one I build my home with_  
_I hope I love you all my life_

"That and so much more," His lips gently kissed mine. "I dream of you as the mother of my children, I see their faces in your eyes." Just hearing those words come out of his mouth made me tear up, because I dreamt of him too. "Do you want that someday with me Essie?"

_I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand_  
_If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?_  
_Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?_

_Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away_  
_And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today_  
_Cause I love you, whether its wrong or right_  
_And though I can't be with you tonight_  
_And know my heart is by your side_

"Yes," I finally whispered. "Yes I do. I see that someday. I want to be yours forever and always."

_I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand_  
_If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?_  
_Is there any way that I can stay in your arms? _

"I have one more question for you Essie," Embry took a long deep breath. "Can I make you mine tonight?"

"Yes."

**A/N: A lemon will be in the next chapter, you have been warned. Want a sneak peak of the next chapter? Review this one and a sneak peak will be sitting in your inbox on Sunday. Thanks once again for reading.**

**If You're Not the One is performed By Daniel Bedingfield.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Beta'd by the breathtaking and artistic Sparkling-Iris and the oh-so-very remarkable and very awe-inspiring Aretee!**

**A very heartfelt thank you to ****MarinaNamaste who read my lemon and gave me awesome input to make it even better. You rock!**

*****Check out Last Resort Rehab Center, it's on my profile*****

**Chapter Nineteen: The Beginning **

I never expected this would ever happen to me. My entire life had been approached with caution and apprehension, but when I met Embry, it had all been thrown to the wind. He never gave up on me – on us – even after I tried rejecting the imprint. How painful that must have been for him to hear.

Our first date was perfect; filled with love and promises of a happy future, married with children someday. I never thought I would have any of those things, and here was a man who was totally devoted to me, with the desires to give all those things to me. Things I know wanted, too.

Our song. He found us a song; a song that so flawlessly described our emotions and how we felt about one another. Swaying in his strong embrace and listening to those lyrics brought me to this very moment. Losing my virginity to the man I truly loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

Embry rested on his knees of the edge of his bed, between my legs. He leaned in and kissed me. Slow, scorching, gentle kisses sent my mind into overdrive. Embry's hands started roaming over my shoulders, along my arms, down my sides, and then up again, sending pleasurable chills down my spine.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Embry stared deeply into my eyes.

"Yes, I'm ready."

I closed my eyes as I felt Embry sweep his tongue along my lips. I parted them for him. I couldn't stop the sound from escaping my lips once his tongue found mine. My hands gripped his bare shoulders and I leaned forward, bringing our bodies closer together.

His hands traveled up my thighs to the hem of my dress. I lifted myself just enough for Embry to pull the tight fabric that hugged my body over my head. I reached behind my back to unhook my bra. In all my nervousness and excitement, I fumbled a bit. I felt Embry's strong hands delicately overlap mine as he helped me find the clasp and unhook the bra, allowing it to fall to the floor.

As Embry gazed upon me all I could see was pure lust in his eyes. It made me feel confident and empowered.

"You're so beautiful, Essie." Embry's hands caressed both my breasts, and his lips found one of my nipples. As if by instinct, my legs straddled his waist. I could feel him reacting to my body, his erection pulsating through his slacks

We both moaned this time, and suddenly I wished my panties were gone and Embry's slacks were off. This was such a sweet torture, our lips hungrily finding one another's once again.

I scooted farther back in Embry's bed, bringing him with me, never taking his lips off of mine. I should've be nervous – this was my first time – but for some reason, Embry made me feel bold, like I had done this before.

I could hear a slightly surprised gasp escape Embry as I rolled us over to get on top. My fingertips rippled over the muscles of his perfect abs. I lightly tickled him with my fingers as I played with the edge of his waist band. I reached my hands between our bodies and found the buttons on his slacks. Embry lifted up so I could pull his slacks off only to be hit with another damn boundary. His boxers. If I thought Embry was good-looking with clothes on, now, being almost completely naked, he was breathtaking.

His large bulge made me feel a little overwhelmed. I may have been a virgin, but I was no dummy. I knew this was gonna hurt.

"Hey," Embry's voice pulled me out of my mental reverie. My eyes traveled up to his face. "You trust me?" My eyes fell into the depths of his soul. I could see and feel that our emotions towards one another were exactly same, reflecting like a mirror. Trust. Love. Belonging. Safety. I had nothing to fear. I realized that now.

I nodded. "I will try to be as gentle as possible. Come lie beside me." I tried to keep my eyes focused on Embry. His hips shifted a little to pull off his boxers. "Don't be afraid, you can look."

Just like I thought, he was huge! It was to be expected: I mean, he was over six feet tall. I wanted to touch him. My eyes met Embry's once again, and I could see the lust-filled look in his eyes.

My heart started hammering out of my chest. I could feel the butterflies flying around like a tornado in the pits of my stomach, but at the same time, I was in a trance. Just the sight of his pulsating erection made me moisten between my legs.

Embry kept his eyes on mine the entire time as his hands traveled to my hips, then to my panties before sliding them down. No more barriers. "So beautiful." I felt his warm breath against my nipple, causing my body to contract, tingle, and seize. How he managed to do that without even touching me blew my mind. Embry came back up and shifted his weight until he was lying beside me. I watched in intense curiosity as Embry's hand traveled down my stomach, back to my inner thighs. "Trust me, baby," he whispered against my ear.

I took in a shallow deep breath. I had no idea a finger could cause such pleasure. He caressed and played with all of my most sensitive parts. Loving and tender and bringing more pleasure than I'd ever experienced before. I moaned as Embry slipped his finger further in.

"Fuck, Essie, you're so wet…tight." I couldn't get any words out to reply. All I could do was whimper with gratification. I felt so whole. I couldn't believe it was just his finger doing that. "Baby, I'm going to add another finger." He murmured before kissing my lips. His thumb began working the outside, and his slid in a second finger.

"Embry!" I could barely get the word out as he filled me deeper, causing me to feel even more over the edge than before.

"Am I hurting you?" His voice filled with concern, and he started to slow down.

"Hell, no!" I exclaimed, shutting my eyes tightly. "If you stop, I will hurt you!" This felt way too good and I didn't want it to end, so I moved my hips to keep the pace going.

"Are you close, baby?" His husky voice spoke softly.

"So close." It was all he needed to hear to pick up the pace. I could feel my inner muscles began to tighten, my breathing become erratic. "That's right, Essie, just let it go." And soon after, I came undone. It was such an overpowering feeling of complete pleasure. My breathing finally began to slow down and my heart was starting to beat normally again. All the while, I could feel Embry's lips planting soft kisses over my breasts, causing me to shiver a bit, since my body was still so sensitive.

"That was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." I felt Embry's fingers slowly slip out, and suddenly I felt incomplete again. I wanted more. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh. Better than okay."

"Do you still want to-"

"Yes." He didn't have to ask; I was ready. I wanted to give him everything tonight. All of me. Embry's long arm reached over me, towards his nightstand to retrieve something from his top drawer. A condom. Of course! I wanted children someday, but not tonight.

I found myself watching with a curious fascination as Embry rolled on the condom and settled between my legs. "I love you, Essie."

"I love you, too."

"Are you ready, baby?" Embry whispered into my ear. Unable to speak, I only nodded into his shoulder.

I felt just the head of his penis at my entrance and my heart began to race. This was really happening! The pain was tolerable because the pleasure outweighed it by far.

"Embry," I shuddered, "Kiss me." He obliged, pushing further into me, and the pain increased for a moment before Embry was able to slide into me with a little bit of difficulty.

I tried not to cry, but I couldn't help it. Embry's lips pulled away from mine. I tried not to let the tears fall, but a few escaped. I could see a flash of concern on Embry's face. He brought his hands to my face and used his thumbs to tenderly wipe the salty water away.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No, please don't. I think it's okay now. Just give me a few minutes to get used to you." Embry nodded in understanding and kept his lower body eerily still, as my body started to adjust. He gently placed kisses up and down my neck, and his lips came closer to my nipples, causing them to pebble with anticipation. I suddenly felt enough motivation and courage to continue on. "Okay, you can move now."

I couldn't stop myself from looking into Embry eyes, his face filled with such pleasure, as he pulled almost all the way out only to slide back in. "Feels…so…fucking good, Essie." I loved hearing Embry say my name with so much lust, and I was shocked with myself when I began to realize how much I needed more of him.

"Faster, Embry," I moaned. "Please go faster," I pleaded breathlessly.

"Shit, Essie, you sound so damn sexy when you beg," Embry groaned, speeding up the pace. I couldn't think straight. My insides began to swell. Every profane word ever known to mankind came spilling out my mouth, as with Embry's. I had no idea how long we lasted in our love making haze before I felt myself rising higher than I had ever before.

My back went into a frenzy of spasms and my legs began to shake. "Cum for me, Essie." That's all it took and I was riding a huge tidal wave of sexual gratification. Just a few more thrusts and Embry cursed and grunted before stilling his movements. I knew without a doubt that he, too, had come undone. "I love you, Essie."

"I love you too, Embry."

I really did. My eyes grew heavy and I fell into a peaceful slumber.

I woke up the next morning, still wrapped in Embry's arms, my head resting comfortably on his chest. It really happened. I lost my virginity to the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with. "Good morning." Embry stroked my cheek. "Did you sleep okay, babe?" I nodded against his chest. "Are you in any pain? You feeling alright?" I could hear the concern in Embry's voice.

I slowly lifted my head and sat up. There was some pain in between my legs, but nothing too bad. "I'm okay," I told him. Embry eyed my expression carefully, perhaps to make sure I was being honest to him and not lying for his sake. Embry lifted my chin towards his face and gave me a quick kiss before getting up.

"I'm going to run you a bath, and then make you breakfast." Oh, goodness! The man cooks, too. Could he be any more perfect? "Rach says you're off today, and I don't have patrol tonight, so it's just you and me. Is that okay? I'm just not ready to share you with anyone yet." He smirked.

"I'm not either." I smiled back.

**XoXoXoXoXoXoX**

The days slowly drifted into weeks, and before I knew it, three months had passed. My new makeshift family and I were getting closer by the day. Topaz who we affectionately all called Shadow was a great addition, although her condition was debilitating at times. Brady's mate was kind and made an effort to get to know all of us. She was only able to make eye contact with one other person besides Brady for now.

Abby.

They became instant best friends. I believe it had a lot to do with them both having to battle their disorders. They were kindred in a way; they shared an understanding that even I couldn't understand.

I was jealous at first with Abby spending so much of her spare time with Shadow when she wasn't with Seth or Nonna, but I realized that Shadow needed my sister more. Opal didn't just take pleasure in making outsiders' lives miserable. She was very cruel to her little sister, and her parents barely even noticed her. Being imprinted on was the best thing that could ever happen to Shadow, and after hearing about her home life, my jealousy faded away. I also made a conscious decision that if I ever caught Opal being mean to Shadow again when she visited La Push, I wouldn't hesitate to arrange her needing a second nose job – with Abby's approval, of course.

Abby wasn't the only busy one. When I wasn't with Embry or working, I was hanging with Gramps. We'd sit around the fireplace and play our guitars together, and sometimes Embry would tag along. I could see why my dad and he got along. He was a simple sort of guy. Nonna and Gramps didn't press us into moving in with them, under one condition. They requested our weekends be with them, and we were fine with it. We enjoyed spending time with our grandparents.

Until Mother Moonflower's house was finished being renovated, Abby and me would continue living with Tiffany.

Leah finally told Ricky about the pack. He handled things surprisingly well, and being 'just friends' flew out the window. Their connection was just too deep to be anything less than a couple, and I was happy for them.

Three weeks into Quest's investigation, he found my mom somewhere in Las Vegas. She was in terrible shape. So heavily addicted she could barely even remember her own name. We weren't allowed to see her while she went through detox, and she went mute after she discovered our grandparents had been granted temporary custody of Abby and me.

My mom eventually began speaking again, and requested for our grandparents to come see her. They spent the weekend in Seattle, while Seth, Abby, Leah, Ricky, Embry and me stayed behind at our grandparents place together.

"What could possibly take a whole damn weekend to discuss?" I muttered as I cuddled closer to Embry. Gramps and Nonna were due back any minute now.

"There's no telling," sighed Abby. "We're talking about our mom here," my sister added as she typed away at her laptop, Seth mentally reading what she wrote.

"But it's possible she may be thinking with a clearer head, now that's she sober." Leah sounded so hopeful.

"No offense," Ricky cut in, "But Diane's head hasn't been clear for almost twenty-six years."

"We'll find out soon enough." Embry stroked my cheek.

"They're back!" Seth announced.

"I'm gonna go help them get their bags." Ricky hurried out of the room.

"Hey, wait up, I'm coming to," Seth said as he followed him out the door.

My pulse started to race. "Hey," Embry cupped my face, "no matter what Nonna and Gramps have to say, know you're loved." I nodded slowly. Yes, I was loved and by many, but I really wanted my mom to love me, too.

When Gramps and Nonna entered the living room, they looked emotionally drained, but kept smiles on their faces. They greeted us both with warm hugs, holding us tightly for a long period of time.

"We should all sit down." Gramps gestured, removing his glasses. He took a long deep breath before finally speaking. "Immy has signed over full custodial rights." My heart sank. She really didn't want us.

Before I could even process what was happening, Abby grabbed a glass dolphin from on top of the grand piano and threw it against the wall. It made a loud crashing noise as it splattered into pieces, causing Nonna to jump. Although she was aware of Abby's condition, seeing it for herself was another thing. "Why does she hate us so much?!" Abby wailed as Seth grabbed my sister and held her tightly.

"Hinny, please calm down," My Nonna soothed while she approached my sister and sat down beside her and Seth. She consolingly rubbed her back.

"Deep breaths." Seth kissed her temple, and slowly, my sister finally relaxed.

"I'm sorry, I broke your figurine, Nonna." Abby sniffled. Although my sister still lost her temper at times, she was getting much better at calming down on her own these days. Seeing Josiah was a good thing. I couldn't help but be proud of my sister's progress.

"Don't even apologize. That can be replaced, you cannot." Nonna hugged Abby.

"So typical of Diane," I scoffed, shaking my head.

"It's not what you think." Gramps shook his head. "Your mother has a long road of recovery ahead of her. Once she leaves the rehabilitation center, she has been mandated by the courts to stay at a sober living environment for at least six months."

"What is that exactly?" Leah asked.

"Sober living environments are facilities used by addicts recovering from substance abuse, which serve as an interim environment between rehab and a return to their former lives. They are primarily meant to provide housing for people who have just come out of rehab and need a place to live that is structured and supporting for those in recovery. However, it is not necessary to come from rehab. It's what Immy's doctors and psychiatrists have recommended, and we want to go about things the right way this time," Gramps explained.

I suddenly felt bad for assuming the worst of her. "Is…is she okay?" My lips trembled.

"She's sober," Nonna replied, "seeing things clearly, but it will be a while before she'll truly be alright." Our grandmother sighed heavily. "She wants to see you, all three of you."

"Three," Ricky repeated, slowly rising from his seat, flabbergasted. "But I thought-"

"There are a few things we didn't know, things she never told us, Ricky," I could see tears welling up in Nonna's eyes. "Things that should be heard first-hand from your mother."

Ricky, Abby, and I looked at one another. We all nodded. "We'll be there."

**~XOXOXOXOXOX~**

Embry, Seth, and Leah stayed behind at the hotel while we met with Diane on Saturday. We didn't know how Diane would handle seeing so many new faces. Meeting with us was already a big step for her. Nonna and Gramps both came for moral support, though.

We decided to meet Diane outdoors. It was nice out and Abby said it was closer to parking lot, just in case shit went sour and we needed a quick escape plan. Gramps waited outside with us, while Nonna went to get Diane.

"Tell me why we're doing this again?" Abby mumbled, taking a seat at the table. The sun was shinning surprisingly bright today. There was an outdoor pool, in the distance with a cascading waterfall attached. Luckily we were sitting under a fairly large canopy that gave us some shade from the sunrays.

A little ways from where we sitting was an outdoor "living room like" set up: a sectional sofa, coffee table, and even flat screen TV was nicely decorated around a small fireplace. I guess visitors and patients must've used it during the wintertime in order to stay warm while outdoors.

"Closure," Ricky replied, sitting beside her at the table. "At the end of the day, it's all about closure. It'll help us move on." Ricky was right. No matter what transpired today, we would leave knowing where we stood with Diane. But I wanted her in my life. It's really hard to love, hate, and be angry with the same person. Especially when they brought you into the world.

Just as my mental reverie ended, I heard a slight gasp escape Abby's lip's as she gripped Ricky's arm. My eyes slowly shifted in the direction of the door. There, walking awkwardly towards us was Diane and Nonna. My heart began to race as I sunk down beside Ricky.

Diane. She looked good. Healthy. Almost. She had to be at least fifteen pounds heavier than I'd ever seen her. Diane's hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail. She was wearing jeans and a simple white crop top with a white tank top under it. Before Diane took a seat at the head the table, Gramps gave her a hug and kissed her forehead. I guess in his eyes, she was still his little girl.

"Well, ahem, Nonna and I are going to give you some privacy," Gramps stuttered and took Nonna by the hand and walked her over to a sofa a few feet away.

Diane hesitantly sat down at the head of the table. Judging by her expression, she almost seemed afraid to talk to us. She fidgeted slightly with her hands before really making eye contact immediately with Ricky.

"The first and last time I ever held you, I thought you were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen."

My brother's chest rose and fell dramatically as he stared at my mother, dumbfounded. "No," Ricky shook his head frantically. "My adoptive parents told me you refused to even look at me." He added as the sound of birds chirping filled the silence.

"That's true, at first," Diane admitted. "But the nurse brought you back by accident. There was a mix up, they didn't know you were being placed up for adoption," she revealed. "Before I knew it, you were in my arms, and I fell in love with you instantly." I watched my brother's eyes moisten. I could tell he was unable to speak; his emotions had gotten the best of him. So, I decided to ask the questions he wanted the answers to.

"Then why did you give him up?" I demanded. "If you loved him so much, why didn't you keep him? You told him you couldn't love him."

I watched the tears slowly stream down Diane's face, and my heart ached for her.

"Because I was so unworthy," Diane confessed. "At least, that's how I felt at the time." She sniffled and wiped her nose on the back of her hand. "I was just a kid, and I had no idea what I was doing." She shook her head. "Not to mention, I was still so messed up from everything that happened. I didn't want to ruin your life, Ricky. I wasn't a whole person, far too broken to care for a newborn, and so angry with my parents for thinking I could." Our mother stared at my brother. "I loved you enough to know you deserved better than me."

"So, you giving me up," Ricky swallowed hard, "had nothing do with who my biological father was?" Diane shook her head and wiped her nose again. "Then why did you say what you said that day?"

"I'm so sorry I lied to you, Ricky, but when I saw you – spent time with you, I knew I made the right decision. The Desmond's did an amazing job with you, and at that time, I was barely hanging on by a thread. Being sober was so hard for me. Every single second of the entire day, all I thought about was getting high. Being sober always brought back the bad memories that getting high helped me bury." Diane took a deep breath and leaned forward.

"That day, when I told you I couldn't love you because you looked like Aden, it wasn't true. I only said that to run you off. You were so angry; you didn't even let me finish." Diane's red, puffy eyes floated to Abby, then to me, and then back at Ricky. "I wanted you to take the girls with you, back to my parents, so they could have a better life. I knew I was going to relapse any day, and seeing things in a sober perspective helped me realize I was doing so much damage to them. I couldn't even do that right," she exhaled. "Just like I couldn't get Tim to leave me, no matter what I did."

"I don't understand," I shook head, confused and upset. "You actually wanted my dad to leave you?" I couldn't believe my ears. My dad was the most amazing, caring person I had ever known. He was my rock: he kept me grounded. How could she say something like that?

"I did leave," Diane began. "I caused so much damage in your dad's life. I caused Flo's death." Her lips trembled and then she hiccupped, "I didn't deserve to be loved, but I was weak. I ended up calling your dad and telling him where I was." She shut her eyes for a moment. "I should have never called him," her voiced cracked. "I should have known he would try everything in his power to keep Flo's promise."

The promise.

To never leave my mom no matter what she did to sabotage her relationship.

"When you were just two months old, Essie, I bundled you into your car-seat, and told your dad to just go, try and make things right with his mom and just leave me alone." At that very moment, I felt one very deep emotion. Sadness. I was sad because my mom felt like she had no other choice but to just give me up like she did Ricky.

"But he wouldn't," I finally whispered. "My dad wouldn't leave you."

"No," Diane shook her head. "No matter what I did, he just wouldn't let go, so I committed the ultimate act of betrayal one would do in their marriage."

"You cheated," Abby muttered sadly. It was obvious to us all that my little sis couldn't possibly be my dad's. Her pale skin alone confirmed it.

"That's right, but he still kept holding on. Tim never broke a promise," Diane sighed. "As time passed, I felt like I was being punished by God for killing Florence, because each passing year, you looked more and more like her, Essie."

Killed Aunt Florence? No, she didn't kill her! Florence committed suicide. Did she really feel like this was all her fault?

"You didn't kill Aunt Florence," Abby cut in. "She ended her own life." My sister repeated my very thoughts.

"She may have died by her own hand, but it was my actions that led her to do what she did," Diane countered.

"Diane-Imogen," My mother's eyes traveled to Ricky's face. Hesitantly, my brother leaned one hand out across the table towards where my mom was sitting, and stopped halfway, I guess in an effort to let her make the final decision as if she wanted his comfort. Slowly, Imogen unlocked her hand. Her hand quivered slightly as she finally placed it in Ricky's, and I thought my heart was about to burst. I never thought I would ever see this. My mother was showing her son affection.

"You must remind yourself that ultimately, you have no control over death. Florence's suicide was out of your hands. When you realize this, it will be easier for you to put aside your guilt," my brother added.

"You sound like my therapist," my mother murmured with a weak smile.

"I did minor in psychotherapy," Ricky whispered back with a hint of humor.

"I know," my mom sighed. "Your grandparents told me." She gripped his hand tighter before looking up at me and Abby. "I don't think I can apologize enough for what I've put the three of you through, and I don't blame any of you for never wanting to have anything to do with me. I cannot guarantee that I will be perfect and never any do any wrong, but I'll try my damndest." A small sob escaped my mom's mouth. "I am trying my best to deal with everything finally, and maybe one day, you all can find it in your hearts to forgive me."

"We already forgive you, mom," Ricky responded with sincerity. Being called 'mom' and not Diane or Imogen was all she needed to hear before completely breaking down. Never letting go of Ricky's hand, mom's head slowly fell on the table. Her entire body began to shake with mournful sobs. Before I knew what I was doing, I got up from my chair and made my way around to where my mom was sitting, and placed my hand on her head. I did soft comforting strokes and whispered in her ear that everything was going to be okay. Abby followed and wrapped her arms around our mother, which only made her cry harder.

Seventeen years of pain and sadness cannot be erased overnight, but forgiveness is a start. This heartfelt healing moment between my mother and my siblings cannot remove what has already transpired, but I have so much hope for my future. For Abby and Seth. For Leah and Ricky. And even for my mother. I see a live full of joy, serenity, peace of mind, understanding, compassion, and laughter, because my life will be filled with my loved ones and most importantly, Embry Call.

The Beginning.

***** Leah &amp; Ricky coming Soon *****

**Really sorry it took me a while to get this out to you all. I thought about doing an epilogue, but then I realized this is sort of the beginning, because you'll see how Abby, Seth, Essie, and Embry's story progresses in Leah's continuum with Ricky. I didn't want to give too much away, so just sit back and wait for Leah's story to pop up. I cannot thank my two amazing beta's enough for everything they have done for me in this story. Aretee and Sparkling-Iris.**

**Sparkling-Iris you really are amazing at catching my grammar mishaps and missing words. Thanks so much. Only the beginning.**

**Aretee you really push me to describe and feel more in every way possible. I don't think this story would be as great without you.**

**And to everyone, who ever reviewed, added my story to their alerts and favorites you have no idea how much it meant to me, it kept me going. Thank you so very much! **

**It will be a couple of weeks before I post Leah and Ricky's story, but for those of you who review this last chapter, I will send you a sneak peak of the intro ASAP!**

**Thanks once again!**

**Astringent Saccharine**


	20. You Don't Know Me

Just posted the first chapter of Leah &amp; Ricky's Story!


	21. My Links

Hey Everyone,

greengirl101 was kind enough to inform me that my links were not working on my profile. So I went ahead and added my photo bucket link at the beginning of my profile

Take out the spaces of the link and it should take you to my photobucket with all of my stories.

I will be updating my stories soon.


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